Mother of Three Remembered as 'Hero' After Armstrong County Incident – Family Reveals Why Her Actions Didn't Surprise Them

A night out in Armstrong County ended with sirens, grief, and a family now mourning a significant loss that resulted from a split-second choice that changed everything…

Jessica Hilliard's family is grieving a loss that still feels impossible to put into words. But as the details of her final moments emerge, her sister admitted one part of the tragedy felt heartbreakingly true to who Hillard had always been.

The 34-year-old Pennsylvania mother leaves behind three children, a devastated family, and a community now trying to honor the life of a woman described as caring, funny, loyal, and deeply protective.

A Sister's Posts Capture the Pain of It All

On April 27, 2026, Hillard's sister, Amanda Evachek, shared a heartbreaking Facebook post showing Hillard with one of her children. Alongside the photo, Evachek expressed, "You guys, my heart hurts so bad. I want my sister back."

The image captures a tender family moment, the kind that feels ordinary until it suddenly becomes priceless. For Hillard's loved ones, it is a painful reminder of the mother, sister, and friend they are now trying to live without.

Later that same day (April 27), Evachek reposted another Facebook post from Krick's Tavern, where loved ones announced a fundraiser in Hillard's memory.

"It is with heaviness in our hearts we [sic] say goodbye to a member of the Krick's Family. Jess was a bright, spunky, and bubbly bartender, but she was always so much more than that," the tavern penned. The post described Hillard as "a strong mother, a loyal friend, a devoted sister and daughter."

"We want nothing more than to help the community rally behind this family in their time of need. Here at Krick's [sic] we are devoted to showing the support they deserve," the post continued.

Krick's Tavern said that during the month of May, 100% of sales from the first 400 bottles of Yuengling sold would go toward the effort. The tavern also said people could "write a memory on a heart" for $5 each and contribute to a cash donation box. "Please share to help us continue to support the life of Jess," the message concluded.

A Late-Night Altercation Turns Deadly Outside Niki's Quick Six

According to WTAE, Hilliard of Apollo was fatally shot outside Niki's Quick Six in Parks Township, Armstrong County, early Sunday morning, April 26. Aside from the fatality, there were three individuals who endured injuries. Additionally, the suspected assailant was arrested on the scene.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the horror began just after 1 a.m. This is when 36-year-old David Dunmire was involved in a verbal altercation in the parking lot of the venue. A woman then entered the bar claiming she had been jumped outside, which prompted several people to rush out to intervene.

Hillard was one of the people who stepped in…

Her sisters told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that Hillard was trying to help a woman she believed was involved in an unsafe situation with the suspected shooter. That detail is where the story becomes even more devastating, because her family says helping people was exactly who Hillard was.

"Our sister died a hero, and she is the kind of person who would always jump in to help anybody, regardless of if [sic] she knew them or not. And she's been like that her whole life," Evachek said.

According to the criminal complaint cited by the outlet, Dunmire pulled out a gun and fired seven rounds at the crowd while running away. He struck four people, and Hillard was fatally shot multiple times in the chest.

"A man was possibly putting his hands on a female and her and another friend, you know, tried to step in and stop it. And that individual who was, you know, going after the female is the person who ended up shooting [sic]," Hillard's other sister, Hailey Frawley, recounted.

Of the three people injured, police said a 24-year-old woman was listed in critical condition. Meanwhile, a 25-year-old man and a 34-year-old man were in stable condition after being shot. "I was heartbroken, upset, angry," Parks Township resident Eric Crusan said. "Nobody should be shooting somebody over some kind of argument in a bar."

CBS News later identified the surviving victims as Rebecca Boston, 24, of McIntyre, who was found at the scene, Hector Saballos, 34, and Dominik Dellach, 25, both of Vandergrift, who left before troopers arrived.

Police said surveillance video showed a large group of people fighting in the parking lot of Niki's Quick Six in Vandergrift around 2 a.m. Sunday. Several bystanders, including Hillard, stepped in to try to break up the fight. That is when police said Dunmire fired seven gunshots into the crowd. Hillard was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Dunmire was taken into custody without incident, and state police said they consulted with Armstrong County District Attorney Katie Charlton, who approved a criminal homicide charge.

Dunmire is currently in Armstrong County Jail facing 16 charges, including four counts of criminal homicide, and the investigation remains ongoing.

A Neighbor Says Trouble near the Bar Had Been Building

A neighbor who lives near the bar told CBS News he had worried for some time that something serious might happen there. For 51 years, Nelson Lubik and his wife have lived across the street from the building. He noted that only in the past five years, since he says the bar opened, they began sensing trouble.

"You have people drinking things that get out of hand [...] I've said this all along [...] there's going to be a shooting, and there was last night," Lubik said. "It's a shame anybody has to lose their life over something that might be stupid or just plain stupidity itself."

Lubik also stated that he happened to be awake around 1 a.m. when he heard gunfire. "All of a sudden, I heard six to eight shots. I quickly looked out the window. I saw people leaving the facility, running," he recounted.

He called 911 and observed as CPR was unsuccessfully administered. "You hope and pray it doesn't happen at all," he said.

Still, Lubik mentioned how he was not surprised, claiming the bar had not been a good neighbor. "I have turned around, and I have found drug paraphernalia laying on the ground close to the road. There's been a few fights over there [sic]," he said.

When Lubik was asked if he would like to see the bar shut down, he gave a blunt answer, "Yeah, I would."

Victim's Sisters Say Her Final Act Was No Surprise

As the investigation continues, Hillard's sisters have begun sharing who she was beyond the tragedy. They described a woman whose life revolved around her children and whose personality filled every room she entered.

Evachek and Frawley told WTAE she was a devoted mother who worked tirelessly to care for her children, who have health challenges. "A very dedicated and great mother. Her kids have a lot of health stuff, and she was on top of it like nobody else could have ever been," Frawley said.

In a report from WPXI, Evachek spoke through the heartbreak of losing her sister. "I just keep thinking about how our three went to two, and it breaks my heart. My heart is broken," she expressed.

Frawley added, "She was a great mother and a very great friend. My best friend." "She was always just so caring. And the fact that she went out saving somebody else…" Evachek divulged before becoming emotional.

It was a sentence she could hardly finish, but the meaning was painfully clear. Hilliard's sisters said they were not surprised she tried to help. "She just always made people laugh, honestly. She was chaotic…and I hate referring to her in the past tense," Evachek shared.

The sisters also described her as loud and beautiful. They also said their family is going through an unimaginable loss, and that Hillard added so much fun to their lives.

A Fundraiser Honors Hillard's Courage and Supports Her Children

Now, their focus has shifted to the late mom's children. "We just want to take care of her kids and make sure they live beautifully," Evachek made clear.

Hillard's family has also turned to a GoFundMe page created to support her children and help cover funeral costs. "On the night we lost Jessica Hilliard, the world lost a brave and loving woman far too soon," the fundraiser message reads.

The fundraiser also notes that Hillard, who leaves behind her two daughters, Aryanna and Rylee, and her son, Lincoln, was born on February 16, 1991.

She also leaves behind her mother, Michele Claypoole, her father, Robert Jaworski, her stepmother, Wendy Jaworski, her sisters, Evachek and Frawley, and her brothers, Buddy and Kenny, along with many other relatives and friends devastated by the loss.

"Jessica was the kind of person who stepped in when someone needed help. She was protective, strong, and deeply loved," the GoFundMe message shares. As of the information provided, the fundraiser has raised more than $22,000 toward its $26,000 goal.

In the end, the detail that makes Hillard's story so crushing is also the detail that explains why her sisters were not surprised: Her loved ones say she did not step in because she knew how the night would end; she stepped in because someone needed help — and that was who Hillard was at her core.

At this time, we wish to extend our most heartfelt condolences to Hillard's parents, her kids, her sisters, brothers, and their entire family, her friends, community, and all who knew and loved her as they mourn such a significant loss. We hope for their healing amid their time of grief. RIP, dear Hillard.