COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Karen Kubani walked up to Joanne Rogers after Monday’s town hall meeting and hugged her, as reported by our news partners, the Coeur d'Alene Press.
There were still many people in the Hauser Lake Fire Station, but the women stood together, seemingly alone.
They held each other tightly for about 30 seconds, then released their embrace, pulled slightly apart and looked into each other’s eyes.
A few quiet words were exchanged. Each woman wiped away tears.
As Kubani turned to leave, she said she wanted to let Rogers know that she and many cared about her and wanted to show their support.
“I’m going to put a card in her mailbox,” Kubani said.
Rogers’ husband, Dennis Rogers, 77, died the night of Feb. 28 when he was shot outside his Hauser Lake home. Police said he saw a man setting a fire near a chicken coop, armed himself and went to investigate, and told his wife to call 911.
Adam J. Bennett, 44, is charged with first-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder, possession of stolen property, unlawful possession of a firearm and grand theft in connection with the case.
The town hall attended by about 100 people was called by Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris to outline what happened, KCSO’s response, and answer questions.
Joanne Rogers talked to several people afterward, in a tight circle, including two men who rushed to help. She credited first responders for their roles, too.
“They were wonderful. They were caring and I want people to understand that,” she said to the people standing near her. “I hope people understand they put their lives on the line.”
John Stephen Hazell Jr. was wounded that night. He and another man saw the flames and ran down the driveway to the Rogers’ home.
One of the men said he thought they might be able to save horses from the fire.
Joanne Rogers told the men she saw a man with a gun when she went outside looking for her husband.
“He had that gun and he could have shot me, too,” she said.
She told the men she couldn’t find her husband, and went back to the house to find the door open and their dog sitting there.
“I saw you guys run down that way,” Rogers said.
Hazell and the other man both said it was a fast-moving, chaotic, confusing scene, and they didn’t know what had happened.
The man who declined to give his name to The Press on Monday said police initially placed him in a police car as they didn’t know who he was.
“That was fair,” he said.
At one point, he said he saw Joanne Rogers crying.
“I had to walk away,” he said.
Hazell said he saw Dennis Rogers on the ground and went to check on him, initially thinking he had been hurt in the fire.
Then, he said he heard someone yell, "Get away from him."
“That’s when I was shot,” he said. “We didn’t even get a chance to back up or anything."
Hazell was shot in the left knee. He turned and fled.
“I didn’t expect anything like that to happen,” he said.
Hazell has since recovered from his wound and walked with a limp Monday.
Later, outside the fire station, he downplayed his actions.
“I did what anybody else would have done. I ran up to the fire and helped and got shot,” he said. “Yeah, that's pretty much what happened.”
“It was very fast. I ran up there with that gentleman. As the lady said, ‘Where's my husband?’ We all turned and seen him laying on the ground. We went to go see if he was breathing or not. And that's when the guy fired. He yelled, ‘Get away from him.'”
A tearful, subdued Rogers appreciated what the men did.
“Thank you so much,” she said.
The Coeur d'Alene Press is a KREM 2 News partner. For more news from our partners, click here.