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Gunman kills four in Washington home before shooting himself, police say Gunman kills four in Washington home before shooting himself, police say
(35 minutes later)
A gunman killed four people in a home in rural Washington state before fatally shooting himself after an hours-long standoff, authorities said.A gunman killed four people in a home in rural Washington state before fatally shooting himself after an hours-long standoff, authorities said.
Mason County sheriff’s chief deputy Ryan Spurling says the gunman had called 911 on Friday to say he shot and killed his family. A girl who survived has been taken to the hospital. Sheriff’s chief deputy Ryan Spurling of Mason County said the gunman had called 911 on Friday to say he shot and killed his family. A girl who survived has been taken to the hospital.
Authorities say officers negotiated with the man for about three hours before they entered the home and found the people dead.Authorities say officers negotiated with the man for about three hours before they entered the home and found the people dead.
Spurling says the gunman shot and killed himself.Spurling says the gunman shot and killed himself.
Swat team is inside the home in Belfair, about 25 miles south-west of Seattle. A Swat team surrounded the home in Belfair, about 25 miles south-west of Seattle.
The sheriff’s office posted photos on Twitter on Friday morning of their vehicles lined up on a rural road outside the house as they attempted to secure the scene and negotiate with the suspect.
The photos showed a number of heavily armed officers monitoring the scene behind their vehicles.
Pics for earlier. pic.twitter.com/mH167LFIur
The suspect “apparently came outside the home and shot himself”, Mason County sheriff Casey Salisbury told the Seattle Times. “It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Neighbors also reported hearing gunshots at around 8.15pm the previous night, according to the Times. Jack Pigott, who lives near the crime scene, told the paper he heard the shots and thought the gunfire was from target shooting.
“The gunshots I figured, was target practice,” Pigott said. “I never thought more about it.”
The sheriff’s office reported that the scene was secure nearly four hours after they first alerted the public about the standoff.