SoCal city employees killed in Las Vegas shooting

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (FOX 11/ CNS) - Two Manhattan Beach city employees were among those killed in the mass shooting on the Las Vegas strip, including a special education teacher at Manhattan Beach Middle School, officials said Monday.

Sandy Casey was with a group of Manhattan Beach Unified School District teachers who attended the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, according to the district.

In a message sent to district employees, Superintendent Mike Matthews called her death "unbelievably sad and tragic.''

"As you can imagine, this loss is impacting many of our staff members deeply, and while we collectively grieve, we will be working to provide support to everyone affected.''

Counselors were sent to the middle school campus to provide support for students, teachers and parents. Matthews visited the campus Monday morning, the Daily Breeze reported.

Casey worked at the district for nine years.

"We lost a spectacular teacher who devoted her life to helping some of our most needy students,'' Matthews said.

Meanwhile, the Manhattan Beach Police Department announced that records technician Rachael Parker, 33, was also killed in the shooting. "She was employed with the Manhattan Beach Police Department for 10
years and will be greatly missed,'' according to the department.

A Manhattan Beach police officer was also shot during the massacre but suffered only minor injuries, according to the department.

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported that Valencia businessman John Phippen, who was attending the concert with his son, Travis, was among those killed. Travis Phippen, a medic, was shot in an arm but survived and helped treat more than a dozen wounded people in the crowd.

Another educator, Jenny Parks, a kindergarten teacher in Palmdale, was also killed in the shooting. News media outlets reported that her husband, Bobby, was shot in an arm but is expected to survive.

According to a GoFundMe page established for the family, Parks "was a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, teacher and so much more.''

"She touched many lives. Her life was cut far too short on the last night of the Route 91 Harvest Festival. She leaves behind her husband, Bobby, and young children, Bryce and Leah, parents and brothers and their families.

Let's show our support to her family as we mourn this sad loss.''

Two Riverside County sheriff's department employees were also injured, as was Ontario Police Department Officer Michael Garcia.

The Ontario Police Department stated on Twitter that Garcia was reportedly shot in the head and underwent surgery. As of Tuesday, he was listed in critical condition.

Garcia's finance, Summer, was also shot as she reportedly tried to shield him after he went down. Authorities said her injuries were non-life threatening.

Meanwhile, a 22-year-old Torrance woman, Christina Duarte, is still missing following the shooting. The Daily Breeze reported that Duarte was attending the concert with her brother's girlfriend, Ariel Carmona of

Bellflower, who was shot in the face and hospitalized with a broken jaw.

According to the Breeze, Duarte worked as a fan-services associate for the Los Angeles Kings. The hockey team posted a message on its Twitter page asking for help finding the South High School and University of Arizona graduate.

"Christina Duarte was last seen at yesterday's concert in Las Vegas.

Contact (866) 535-5654 if you have any information,'' according to the Kings' Twitter post.

Susan Smith, a 53-year-old office manager for the Simi Valley Unified School District, was also killed in the shooting. She worked for the district for 16 years.

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