"It didn't accomplish anything except hardship," added Sussman, who was evacuated from her apartment along with her husband about 1 a.m. Wednesday and taken by police to nearby William Tennent High School to be aided by the American Red Cross.
Zienkewicz died at the scene, Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said Wednesday. Authorities said they were still investigating whether a bullet from Cairns' .44 Magnum or a police officer's gun killed the woman.
"She has beautiful flowers in spring and summer, and she would sit on her patio and water the flowers," Sussman said. "She just looked like a sweet woman."
Authorities said the drama began about 4 p.m. as a disturbance between Cairns and his girlfriend in Cairns' apartment. Police were called for the first report of gunfire shortly after 7:30 p.m., according to authorities. At some point, Cairns allowed his girlfriend to leave the apartment and, at 2:30 a.m., he surrendered.
Heckler said that Cairns and his girlfriend, whom they did not identify, were under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.
Cairns was arraigned Wednesday and held on $10 million bail.
Anthony Rankin, 36, who moved to the complex two weeks ago from Pittsburgh, said he was outside his building smoking a cigarette when he heard the first round of shots, followed by police shouting, more shots and a woman's scream.
Rankin said he recognized the sound of the gunfire and was shocked that such a quiet community had been rocked by violence.
"I didn't think it would happen here, actually, because it's a really nice place," Rankin said.
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