Authorities investigating murder-suicide that they say happened at the Church in Sacramento.
A man shot and killed his three young daughters, a chaperone, and then himself when visiting them at a church, according to deputies in Sacramento County, California. Officials did not name the people involved but said the children were ages 9, 10, and 13.
The kids’ mother got a restraining order against the shooter, said Sheriff Scott Jones in a press conference. The father’s visits with his children had to be supervised, the sheriff said. One such visit was happening at The Church in Sacramento on Wyda Way when the shooter opened fire. The mother was out of town.
This tragedy happened Monday afternoon in the main sanctuary part of the church, in a conference room of some sort, Sheriff’s Sgt. Rod Grassman said. Deputies received a call at 5:07 p.m. about a shooting in the church. Apparently, a church worker upstairs heard the shots, then left the building to contact authorities.
The motive is still under investigation.
“This is an unspeakable tragedy,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said. “It happens too often, and tonight it happened in our backyard. First thoughts are with the victims and their families. Same to the first responders who have to confront such a horrible scene.”
[Screenshot via Brittany Hall]