Photo: Hayne Palmour/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP
A San Diego father fatally shot his estranged wife and three of their four children before turning the gun on himself, less than 24 hours after the mother had filed a restraining order against him, according to multiple reports.
The fourth child was also shot and is in critical condition,The Washington Postreported.
When authorities arrived at the home, police found the parents and four sons — ages 3, 5, 9 and 11 — on the floor with gunshot wounds. The parents and their 3-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene. Two of the other boys died at the hospital.
Police have yet to name the victims, but family members identified them as José Valdivia, 31, Sabrina Rosario, 29, Enzie Valdivia, 3, Zuriel Valdivia, 5, and Zeth Valdivia, 11, according toNBC San Diego. Ezekiel Valdivia, 9, underwent surgery for his gunshot wounds, and as of Saturday, was still in critical condition, according to the local outlet.
Sabrina Rosario.Facebook
“It’s still very early in the investigation but it appears to be a tragic case of domestic violence, murder-suicide,” San Diego Police Department Lt. Matt Dobbs told NBC. “We believe the male came over this morning, there was some kind of argument or disagreement and he used a handgun and shot his family before turning the gun upon himself.”
SDPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The investigation is still ongoing.
According to authorities, the day before the tragedy, Rosario had reportedly filed a restraining order against her husband, whom she was allegedly in the process of divorcing.
Her sister, Jocelyn Rosario, claimed to NBC that Valdivia refused to go through with the divorce and had been stalking his wife after they separated.
Dobbs also told reporters that police had previously responded to a call from the home on Nov. 1 for a “disturbance over property.” Two adults, a man and a woman, were arguing over tools. Police officers who responded to the call informed the woman about how to obtain a restraining order.
“The tragedy today in Paradise Hills is terribly sad,” San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconertweeted.“All of San Diego mourns for the family and the surrounding neighborhood. This senseless act of violence goes against everything our community stands for and we will get through this together.”
source: people.com
