BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) — Two young children and their 36-year-old father died Wednesday in an apparent homicide-suicide at an apartment complex near Portland, Oregon, authorities said.
Beaverton police spokesman Mike Rowe told The Associated Press that officers responded to the apartment around 4:30 p.m. after a female relative called saying three people were possibly dead inside.
When police officers entered the apartment, they initially thought, based on substantial gunshot wounds, that all three people were dead, Rowe said.
As they backed out of the apartment to preserve evidence and the crime scene, however, Rowe said they heard rustling inside and then a single gunshot.
A tactical negotiation team called to the scene then entered the unit and confirmed all three people inside were deceased.
Rowe said the children killed were an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy.
Police said they don't believe there was any risk to the public.
"It was just a very tragic thing that happened here today," Rowe said.
No other information was immediately available.
Beaverton is about 8 miles west of Portland.
