16 | SEPTEMBER 22 • 2022 

T

he Metro Detroit Jewish 
community reacted with 
grief, shock and horror 
as well as an outpouring of 
generosity as it learned about 
the Sept. 11 murder of longtime 
Jewish Senior Life employee 
Tina Lanis, 56, by her husband, 
Igor Lanis, 53, who was fatally 
shot by police when he fired 
at them outside of the family’s 
Walled Lake home. 
Igor also killed the family dog 
and shot his daughter, Rachel 
Lanis, 25, who is recovering in 
the hospital from shots to her 
spine and legs. The couple’s 
younger daughter, Rebecca, 21, 
who was visiting a friend at the 
time of the murder and not at 
home, has told multiple media 
outlets that her father’s behavior 
had radically changed since 
the 2020 election, and he had 
immersed himself in conspiracy 
theories he had found on the 
internet. Both the sisters are 
alumnae of Hillel Day School in 
Farmington Hills. 
“Jewish Family Service’s crisis 
support team mobilized as soon 
as we heard the news and have 
already been able to provide 
some outreach in the commu-
nity and provide crisis interven-
tion and support,
” said Jewish 
Family Service youth mental 
health coordinator Julia Cohen, 
who is one of the co-leaders of 
the team. 
News of Tina’s murder hit 
especially hard among staff and 
clients at Jewish Senior Life of 
Metropolitan Detroit, where she 
worked for the past 16 years as 
a certified occupancy specialist, 
providing the Russian-speaking 
residents assistance with rental 

applications and govern-
ment-required documenta-
tion, according to JSL CEO 
Nancy Heinrich. 
“We informed our staff 
of her sudden and trag-
ic passing and provided 
Trauma Response Team 
Intervention counseling 
to staff and residents 
through the generosity 
of Jewish Family Service,
” 
said Heinrich. “Tina was a 
much-beloved employee. Her 
professionalism, compassion 
and warmth were appreciated 
by all her co-workers and res-
idents, who considered her a 
trusted friend and essential sup-
port. She will be sorely missed 
by all.
” 
To offset the medical bills 
and other expenses the sis-
ters will endure as they cope 
with the violent death of both 
their parents, the family set 
up a GoFundMe page that, at 
press time, has received more 
than $55,000 in donations, 
including a $1,000 donation 
from the Jewish Federation 
of Metropolitan Detroit. 
Donations can be made on the 
GoFundMe website.
On the page, Rebecca Lanis 
wrote: “On Sept. 11, 2022, I lost 
my mother, father and dog in 
a fatal shooting perpetrated by 
my father. My older sister was 
seriously wounded and remains 
in the hospital. She was shot in 
the spine and the back of her 
legs, and doctors are unsure 
if she will ever be able to walk 
again. Any support provided 
will assist me in paying my sis-
ter’s medical bills and will help 
us get back on our feet after this 

horrific tragedy.
” 
Federation CEO Steven 
Ingber described the tragedy as 
“a heartbreaking incident” and 
extended deepest condolences 
to the Lanis family.
“Federation has contributed 
to the GoFundMe campaign. 
We also reached out to the 
family, through our partners 
at (JFS) to help. JFS resources 
are available to anyone who is 
affected by this tragedy. No one 
should feel alone in trying to 
process this shocking situation,
” 
Ingber said.
According to reports from 
Oakland County Sheriff Mike 
Bouchard, county law enforce-
ment officials joined Walled 
Lake Police responding to a 
shots-fired call from Glenwood 
Court in Walled Lake around 
4:11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. The 
caller was later identified as 
Rachel, who told dispatchers 
her father had just shot 
her and her mother 
Tina. Emergency dis-
patchers arrived at the 
scene within five min-
utes. 
As they were on foot 
in the area, deputies 
heard a gunshot and 

approached the house. Igor 
exited from the front door and 
fired at a Walled Lake officer 
with a Remington 870 shotgun, 
striking a marked patrol car, 
another vehicle and a resi-
dence behind him. No one was 
injured from those shots. A 
Walled Lake officer and a sher-
iff’s deputy returned fire and 
killed Igor.
Tina was found dead inside 
the home and had been shot at 
least four times with a handgun. 
Buchard’s office continues 
to investigate. As part of this 
ongoing investigation, they are 
seeking insight into what trig-
gered the violence. 
At the home, detectives 
retrieved the cell phone and 
other electronic devices belong-
ing to Lanis to see if they help 
determine a possible motive. 
On a telephone interview 
with the JN, Oakland County 
Sherriff Communications 
Officer Steven Huber said he 
could not comment on whether 
more guns were in the home 
or whether the father legally 
purchased the gun or had a gun 
permit owner’s license. 

Anyone finding difficulty grieving or 

coping with the trauma of this tragedy 

can contact the JFS Resource Center at 

(248) 592-2313. To donate to the family, 

visit https://tinyurl.com/mtzyee4p.

OUR COMMUNITY

Community rushes to support surviving daughters in recent shooting.
Tragedy in Walled Lake

STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

EDITOR’S NOTE: 
Rachel Lanis had recently started 
writing for the Jewish News. Her first 
essay, published in July, is titled “The 
Jewish Dilemma.” Read it at https://
thejewishnews.com/2022/07/28/
essay-the-jewish-dilemma.

Rachel and Rebecca Lanis

