JUPITER, FL--The father of the youngest victim of Thursday's killing spree at a Thanksgiving party spent time Saturday morning reflecting on his daughter's life as well as the events that transpired the night of the tragedy.
6 year old Makayla Sitton died of gunshot wounds at the hands of suspected gunman Paul MIchael Merhige.
Makayla is the daughter of WPTV photojournalist Jim Sitton and his wife, Muriel.
Sitton spoke outside of his home where the police investigation continues.
"We know where our little girl is and we know who she's with, and if not for that I'd be just a lump on the ground, I wouldn't be able to function. That's the main reason I'm here, to honor her, to testify. I've heard the last couple of days people angry saying God , she loved God so much and God abandoned her. God didn't abandon her, he's not abandoning us. He blessed us. When you cross the finish line it's a joyous celebration, it's not the end it's the beginning of victory and the amazing thing is she was allowed to cross the finish line with an entourage. I mean, who gets to cross the line with your grandmother? That's a blessing. It's really helped us to know that my wife, she lost her mother and our baby, and keep her in your prayers. I don't know how she's going to recover from that."
"Every time my phone rings it's her singing Happy Birthday Jesus. There's just so many memories. The night, just hours before she died she recited Psalm 100, the whole chapter, and she was kind of preaching to our whole family about Thanksgiving and giving thanks. When someone gives you a gift and you feel gratitude, she said that's 'Thanks Feeling.' It's not Thanksgiving until you thank the person and in this case that's what I'm doing, I'm thanking God... so I'm honoring her by doing what she asked us to do to actually give thanks."
When asked about the alleged gunman Sitton said, "I haven't seen him in like 15 years, he had his issues in the past and when I heard 'Oh Paul's coming,' I thought 'Okay, I haven't heard any bad stuff in 5 or 10 years,' and I thought 'maybe he's getting better,' and a red flag did not go off. He sat two people down from me I talked to him, there were no red flags he wasn't moody, it was just completely out of the blue. The way I understand it he is evil and darkness hates the light and he saw the light from the twins singing Via Dolorosa and we were praising God and thanking God for Thanksgiving and my little girl was preaching."
"I learned yesterday that... Paul told my father-in-law 'I've been waiting 18 years to do this, or 20 years to do this.' He meant he's been waiting 20 years to to kill his family."
Also killed in the shooting were Raymonde Joseph, 76, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, who was pregnant. Two others were injured.
"When the shooting started we all ran out the back and I thought he was chasing us. I felt like I was leading evil away from my daughter and I didn't know that he didn't chase. He killed my mother-in-law and... I went around the house and began banging on my little girl's window. I was trying to break the window to get her out and that's when he walked down the hall and.. this monster walked into my daughter's room, in the dark she was asleep. He shot her point blank in the head, shot her point blank in the heart and a couple of other places... who does this? I've been shooting (photographing) news for 25 years and I've never seen a baby executed like this... it's just pure evil, darkness hates light and he tried to snuff it out but what man needs for evil God uses for good my baby's in heaven, she just beat me there. It's not supposed to happen...for them to beat you there you are supposed to get there first. But I guess God sets the rules you're supposed to follow them."
"My father-in-law is a retired physician he worked on her. We didn't give up, the paramedics didn't give up Trauma Hawk didn't give up, they worked on her all the way to the hospital."
"We went to St. Mary's to see her... even in death she's beautiful. I couldn't believe that. Her hair covered the gunshot wound. I put my hand on her head so my wife couldn't see the wound so her face was just beautiful."
Before Makayla went to sleep that night Jim said he shared a special moment with this daughter. "Usually whenever we have a lot of guests over I let my wife put... my baby to bed because... I'm being the host."
But on this night he had an urge to give her a kiss. "I was just telling her 'I love her... what an honor it is to be her dad,' and we had a tender moment and I kissed her goodnight. I put her to sleep and she woke up with Jesus."
"Be praying for my wife Muriel, she lost her mom and her baby, it's her whole world. She asked me, 'When you go back to work what am I supposed to do?' She's a home-school mom... it's her whole life... I don't know how she's going to recover. I just love her. I can't do anything for her."
Jim and his family have been extremely thankful for the support they have received. "Everyone has been incredible, our church Calvary Chapel Palm City, everyone from the police to the media. Everyone has been highly respectful. I know those phone calls are hard to make but we do appreciate them. I thank everybody."
Speaking of his daughter again Jim said, "God packed in a whole lifetime into 6 years. He knew she wouldn't be long for this earth so He packed it in pretty tight. She was incredible. I love her. She still is incredible."
