A man reportedly killed his three children, a chaperone and then shot himself during a court-supervised visit in California on Monday (Feb. 28) night at a church in Sacramento, California.
The names of the gunman and the victims were not revealed. However, NBC News reported that the kids were aged 15-years-old and younger according to officials.
The father allegedly used an AR-15-style semiautomatic to kill his kids and a man whose relationship with the accused remains unknown.
“We have found now there’s an adult male, a father who has shot and killed his three children under the age of 15,” Sgt. Rod Grassmann with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said. “This was not a random shooting,” Grassman said, adding that the shooter and victims “all knew each other.”
Grassman later added that the gunman had a restraining order filed against him. It was not stated why the restraining order was in place but it may be tied to a domestic violence issue.
“This is as far as I can see, at this point, a domestic violence-related sort of incident,” he stated.
A church worker reportedly heard gunshots at around 5:07 p.m. on Monday and immediately called the police.
California Governor Gavin Newsom learned about the shooting and addressed the unfortunate incident not long after, mourning the loss of the children.
“Another senseless act of gun violence in America – this time in our backyard,” Newsom said in a tweet. “In a church with kids inside. Absolutely devastating. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and their communities.”
The mother was reportedly out of town but was informed about the incident according to Sheriff Scott Jones. The chaperone was likely tasked to supervise the children that were amenable to both the mother and the father.
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