4 Dead In Calif. Murder-suicide; 5th Person Hurt

Published January 16, 2012 12:27AM (EST)

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Two adults and two children were killed in an apparent murder-suicide Sunday at an apartment building in California's Central Valley, while a fifth person was hospitalized in critical condition, police said.

Police were called to investigate a disturbance at the Fresno home shortly before 7 a.m. They found a man outside the apartment suffering from a stab wound, The Fresno Bee reported ( ).

Capt. Dennis Bridges told the newspaper that officers then heard a single gunshot. When they went inside the apartment, they found a woman believed to be in her 20s with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and a man in his 20s or 30s dead of a gunshot wound.

Two children — an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old — also died from gunshot wounds.

"We're investigating to determine exactly how the children and the adult male died and the circumstances around the man suffering from a stab wound," Bridges said. He did not know if there was a history of domestic violence calls or other disturbances at the apartment.

The man suffering from the stab wound was taken to a local hospital, where he was reported to be in critical condition.

Neighbors, who did not want to be identified, said they had not seen or heard of any problems at that apartment. Police didn't immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking additional information.

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Information from: The Fresno Bee,


By Salon Staff

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