Details emerge in Vancouver family murder-suicide
VANCOUVER, Wash. (KOIN) -- New details are emerging in the deaths of 5 family members in Vancouver in a murder-suicide Sunday afternoon in the Orchards neighborhood.
A husband killed his wife, two adult daughters and his brother before killing himself, KOIN 6 News confirmed. All the family members lived in the house. Their names and ages have not been released at this time.
Clark County deputies were sent to check on the family in the 11500 Block of NE 92nd Street around 1 p.m. Sunday after getting a text message “from a family member stating they had harmed others at the residence.”
Neighbors across the street told KOIN 6 News they heard someone screamig outside the house at one point. But arriving deputies did not hear any sounds when they got to the home.
Sgt. Chris Skidmore with the Clark County Sheriff's Office explained how deputies approached the scene.
"After talking with the family we knew that there was firearm involvement," Skidmore told KOIN 6 News. "In that kind of situation we're not going to go just knock on the door, obviously. Some investigators search goes into that, trying to locate who left the house, who might be there and attempts to contact the victims."
Backup resources were called, including a SWAT team and a drone, which spotted several people dead inside the home, authorities said.
When the SWAT unit and medical teams went inside, they found the five people, including the suspect, now identified as the husband.
“While the investigation is in the early stage, this appears to be a murder-suicide involving a firearm. Five family members at the residence appeared to have been shot, including the suspect,” the sheriff’s office said in a release Sunday night.
There were no previous calls for police at this home and no criminal history was found.
There is help for those in crisis. In Clark County, the Clark County Crisis Line is available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling the Southwest Washington Crisis Line at:
800.626.8137 | TTY 866.835.2755