Gunman kills his three children in shooting spree
A man killed five people, including three of his children, before shooting himself dead, US police said today.
A fourth child was in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The man killed one woman around 8.30am local time, then went to another home and shot his long-time girlfriend, their four children and himself, Captain Rich Lockhart said.
The attacks happened in Kansas City, Missouri.
Police did not immediately identify the gunman or the women. Relatives identified the man’s girlfriend as Shanika King, who was in her 30s.
The murdered children were boys aged one and 11 and a 14-year-old girl, police said. An eight-year-old boy was in critical condition.
Witnesses identified the first victim, a woman in her mid-30s, as the gunman’s cousin, Lockhart said.
The woman’s son told police a man came to the door and asked to see his mother. The boy said he heard a “pop,” but thought it was fireworks.
After the man left, the boy found his mother had been shot and went to a neighbour’s house to call police, Lockhart said.
About 15 minutes later, police received a call from a woman who said her son-in-law had called her to say he had shot her daughter and grandchildren.
The man’s body was found in the kitchen with a revolver nearby, police said.
King and the youngest child were found dead in a bed, and the girl was found in a different bedroom. The eight-year-old and 11-year-old boys were found in the basement.
All had been shot, police said.
