Tallahassee shooting victim's father said her death is 'cruel irony'

DELTONA, Fla. — The father of a 21-year-old woman killed in the Tallahassee yoga studio shooting said it’s a “cruel irony” that she was gunned down in a mass shooting.

Jeff Binkley said his daughter, Maura Binkley, a student at Florida State University, was fed up with gun violence and on a mission to help prevent more people from becoming victims.

"I remember [her] calling and saying ‘Dad, I'm going down to the capitol, to be there with the students for Parkland, the parents and the other people, and to whatever.’ She had a mature outlook about change," he said.

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Binkley was one of two people killed when a 40-year-old Deltona man allegedly opened fire at a Tallahassee yoga studio on Friday. The other was 61-year-old Nancy Van Vessem.

After injuring four other people, police said the man, Scott Beierle, took his own life.

Maura Binkley’s father said he can’t believe his daughter lost her life in such a horrible way.

"And she became a victim. It's a cruel irony. A cruel irony," he said.

Police have not released any information about a motive for the shooting, but investigators are looking into videos Beirle posted to YouTube four years ago.

In the videos, Beierle ranted about minorities, the army and women.

"Those that engage in treachery will ultimately be the victims of it," Beierle said in one of the videos.

Beierle’s neighbors in Deltona said they never really saw him around.

Volusia County Schools confirmed that Beierle was hired by the school district in January 2017. The district said Monday that he passed both a federal and state background checks, and that he was issued a teaching certification by the Department of Education in July 2015.

The district said he was a substitute until May 25 of this year when he was accused of misconduct at Galaxy Middle School, and was immediately let go.

"The Volusia County School district is more stringent with their hiring process than state law requires. 
For example, Volusia Schools will not hire anyone with any felony conviction or multiple DUI's," the district said in a release Monday morning.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to Channel 9 for updates.

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