A man who’d been reported as armed and suicidal was killed by McKinney police Thursday afternoon after pointing a shotgun at officers, the department said..
Group fighting to save western town at Storybook Ranch, recently hit by vandals It makes me more motivated to move it. We ve got to get it out of here, said Kristi Avalos after vandals damaged the inside of the historic hotel and opry house. Author: Jobin Panicker Updated: 7:45 PM CDT July 2, 2021
MCKINNEY, Texas The old western town at Storybook Ranch in McKinney has served the community for more than two decades as a place for gatherings and social events.
The historic little town is a compilation of real buildings from the 1800s, including the church, saloon, and hotel and opry house. Now most of those buildings are boarded up to keep vandals from entering and destroying the insides.
“It was rough,” Thornton said, looking back on that time. “It’s hard to feel safe when you are homeless. You don’t feel like you have a safe place to go.”
That changed for Thornton in May 2020 when she was approached by two police officers with the McKinney Police Department’s Community Services unit, a portion of the department dedicated to crisis intervention and homeless outreach.
“What happened with Shaunna, that was like being at the right place, at the right time, on the right day,” said Ofc. Terry Qualls. “It was a perfect opportunity for us to step in and help her out.”