Police: 5 dead, including gunman, in US shooting

Douglasville (US), Feb 8: Five people were dead, including the gunman, after a shooting in a housing development in suburban Atlanta that also left two children injured, police said.

Authorities arrived at the subdivision of two-story homes west of Atlanta after receiving a police call around 3 pm (local time), Douglas County Sheriff's Lt Glenn Daniel said.

Daniel said a man came to a house and shot his ex-wife and several children. Police were still working yesterday to identify the victims and confirm their relationships, he said.

The shooter, whose name has not been released, is believed to have died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Daniel said. Daniel said he did not immediately know when the couple divorced or whether the family had prior contact with police.

"I've been in law enforcement out here 20 years and this is the worst I've ever seen," Daniel said. Daniel said that neighbors apparently heard or saw the shooting and came outside to assist the victims until rescuers arrived.

Some victims appeared to have been shot inside the residence while others were apparently shot outside. Investigators have not released the names of the suspect or the victims because their family members have not yet been notified.

The motive of the shooting was not immediately clear. Investigators obtained a warrant to enter the home, now surrounded by crime scene tape, yesterday so they could take and exam evidence from the crime scene.

Kenya Beyah, who lives about four doors down from the home where the shooting began, left flowers at the scene yesterday evening. She didn't know the family but said she saw kids playing outside from time to time, she said.

AP