Five individuals, including a 5-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy, were shot dead in an apparent murder-suicide when police arrived during a welfare check at an apartment outside of Atlanta.
Lt. Shane Smith of the DeKalb County Police Department said in an emailed statement that officers arrived at the gruesome scene just before 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In addition to the bodies of two small children, they also found the bodies of a woman, age 26, a guy, age 32, and a woman, age 43, who all seemed to have been shot. It is unknown who was the shooter, and the victims have not been named.
Smith told the crowd, “We are still trying to notify the next of kin for everyone.” We will then be able to make the names public.
Investigators believe the killings were domestic in nature, according to the DeKalb Police Department, and the residence where they took place was on the 2100 block of Vineyard Walk, which is an apartment complex known as the Vineyards at Flat Shoals, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
About 20 minutes northeast of Atlanta is DeKalb County, the fourth most populated county in Georgia.
Although preliminary evidence points to a murder-suicide, the inquiry is still underway. It is unclear exactly how the five deceased were related to one another.
Murder-suicides are a startlingly frequent type of gun violence in the US, with an estimated ten occurrences per week, according to the nonprofit Violence Policy Center.
Nine out of ten suicides in America involve a firearm, according to the organization, which estimates that 1,200 people commit suicide annually.
The intimate partner of the victim is responsible for almost two-thirds of all murder-suicides.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.