A Texas man turned a gun on himself Saturday morning after shooting his wife and young son, police say.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a press conference that officials believe the unidentified man killed his approximately 43-year-old wife and 7-year-old son in an apartment complex in Katy.
The sheriff described the incident as “awful.”
The mother and son were found dead in the boy’s bedroom. The child was still lying in bed, police say. A pistol was found at the scene.
The man was life-flighted to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The couple’s 19-year-old daughter and her boyfriend were asleep in another room in the apartment and were not injured. They were visiting the home at the time of the tragedy.
Family members told police that the unemployed man had been experiencing mental health issues and was possibly receiving treatment for depression.
Officers were called to the home around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. The gun used was a pistol, officials have said.
This is a developing news story. Law enforcement officials state that there is no danger to the public.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline available to everyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
