WYOMING, Mich. — The Wyoming Public Safety Chief says a man shot and killed his girlfriend and two young girls before turning the gun on himself overnight Tuesday.
Officers responded around 3:50 a.m. to a home on Godfrey Avenue SW just south of Burton St. after a family member showed up at the home and called authorities.
That's when police found the man, woman, an 11-year-old and 13-year-old girl dead inside. They had all likely been shot by a handgun, Wyoming police said.
Investigators from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety say three other children, ages 2, 5 and 9, were inside the home at the time but were not hurt.
Chief Kimberly Koster says the victim and the suspect shared the two youngest children.
Early investigation indicates that the man shot and killed the woman and two children before taking his own life. The motive for this incident is unclear, police say.
The three children are in the care of a family member. It's not clear what they may have heard or seen overnight, police said.
The identities of the victims are not being released at this time.
Authorities say there is no threat to the public. The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be released later Tuesday, according to police.
"Domestic situations are very difficult at times. Relationships are hard. The stress of relationships is can be very emotional. Sometimes they can be very volatile. In a case like today, it can be lethal. I just encourage anyone in a situation like this to reach out for help," Chief Koster said.
"We did talk a lot and we became really close friends," said a woman who wanted to remain anonymous. She knew the suspect for about two years as he was doing remodeling work on her house.
She describes the man as quiet and friendly. She didn't see any signs of aggression from him, but he would often talk about issues with his girlfriend.
"He told me all this stuff going on about him and his family and now hearing this... I feel like I should've done something to help him, but I didn't know things were this bad."
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or https://www.silentobserver.org.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse and need help, you can call the National Domestic Violence Help Hotline at 800-799-7233 to get started.
In West Michigan, you can reach out to the YWCA West Central Michigan or Safe Haven Ministries for assistance.
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