The school community is mourning the loss of a special education teacher who police say was killed by her husband

CHALCO, Neb. (WOW/Gray News) – A Nebraska school community is mourning the loss of a special education teacher who died after a domestic violence incident ended in a shooting, according to police.

Sarpy County Sheriff Jeff Davis said deputies found the body of 45-year-old Rebecca Geiger in her Chalco Hills home after an exchange of gunfire near South 143rd Street and Meadows Parkway around 3 a.m. Monday.

Authorities said Geiger’s 19-year-old daughter called 911 and told operators that her father, 44-year-old Rory Geiger, had shot her mother before pointing a gun at her.

Rory Geiger then reportedly turned his attention to deputies, although Davis said it was a person inside the home who fired the first shot.

“Shooting began, initiated by a person inside the house through a glass window. One of our officers returned fire,” the sheriff said in an update Monday.

Officers then entered the home, where they found Rory Geiger dead from a gunshot wound.

Life-saving measures were taken but were ineffective and he was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Authorities said they had been to the home about a month earlier for the incident and were told not to return.

“An alarm was sounded in the house due to the response received at that time,” Davis said. “It was a domestic matter and we continued it due to mental problems. The next day this person told us, “Be careful, you shouldn’t come back here.”

Officials said the five deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave. None of the deputies were injured.

Investigators are looking at deputies’ body cameras, as well as cameras inside and outside homes. They said they were not yet sure whether Rory Geiger’s fatal wounds were self-inflicted or the result of a gunshot fired by a Sarpy County deputy.

“At this point, it appears that whether he took his own life or was shot by one of our guys, their response and input probably saved both of these girls’ lives,” Davis said.

According to reports, officers found several weapons during a search of the home.

“VERY NICE TEACHER”

Rebecca Geiger was a special education teacher who had just started 10th grade at Westside High School.

“She was just a very nice teacher,” Elizabeth Power said Westside Community Schools he said. “She was so good at helping her students feel seen and very loved and feel very much like they belonged at Westside High School, which is extremely important for every student, especially her students.”

A crisis response team has been established in the district. Advisors will be available throughout the week.