Former Sheriff’s spokeswoman Kelly Hoover reflects on IV Tragedy

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – On Friday, May 23, 2014, Santa Barbara Sheriff's  Public Information Officer Kelly Hoover learned a troubled 22-year-old city college drop-out had fatally stabbed 3 people and then fatally shot 3 more. 

"I had been with the Sheriff's Office for just a year when the Isla Vista incident happened and it was really, really terrible," said Hoover.

The former TV reporter only had preliminary information to share.

"What I remember most about it is I had so many people that wanted information and they wanted you to tell them something because everyone was grasping for any bit of information, but we really didn't have any," said Hoover.

The killer had been on the radar of campus police who had gotten a call from his mother.

For hours Hoover took questions.

"As the new Sheriff's Public Information Officer at a time, for something that big, it was just a real challenge, first of all to take in what had happened, and what was happening and all the people it had impacted and be the person who was supposed to be telling people facts when you really didn't have facts and the ones you had weren't vetted, yet, so it was just a big big night of just sadness and also just responsibility."

She called it a life-changing experience and said her heart goes out to those who lost loved ones marking this tragic anniversary, too.

I remember driving to Isla Vista and hearing all the ambulances that were rushing there and it did change me forever, also being a mom and having students in college, you realize how hard it is; you finally get them to that point and then to get a call like that and have something happen to them there when you finally get them to college experience is hard to even imagine."

Hoover said she holds her kids a bit tighter knowing anything can happen.