A deadly standoff in Plainville, Connecticut, ended in a murder-suicide involving a local man identified as Patrick King. King first shot his girlfriend and children, inside a Milford Street residence, before shooting himself on Friday, March 27.
Police and SWAT teams were called to the scene on Milford Street after reports of a domestic disturbance, prompting a large emergency response that lasted several hours before officers were able to enter the home.
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Victims and suspect identified
Plainville authorities Chief Chris Vangele stated in a press conference on Saturday morning that on Friday, a woman called authorities to report that her brother, 27-year-old Patrick J. King, had called her and claimed to have shot and killed his girlfriend and their 4-year-old daughter.
The victims were identified as Felicia Matthews, 31, their 4-year-old daughter, Ava R. King, and Matthews’ daughter from a previous relationship, 12-year-old Melina Matthews.
Authorities revealed in the press conference that Melina Matthews was a middle school student in Plainville, and the family moved into the Milford Street house in January.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, with neighbours describing the area as quiet and expressing disbelief over the events.
SWAT response and discovery inside the home
According to Vanghele, King called his sister and mother before the sister called 911 at 3:53 p.m.
Authorities initially responded to reports of a potentially armed individual barricaded inside the residence, leading to the deployment of a SWAT team and crisis negotiators.
After the sister’s 911 call was received, police established a perimeter around the Milford Street residence and dispatched the SWAT team, made up of cops from different communities.
Police sent drones into the home, and a negotiator sought to contact King by cell phone to negotiate his surrender. According to Vanghele, after about two hours of bargaining, the police used pepper gas in the home to force King to surrender.
When the pepper spray was deployed, King shot himself in the head. The police performed life-saving procedures, but King was eventually pronounced dead, Vanghele said in the press conference.
The weapon King used to shoot himself and his family had been registered, and King had a permit to carry the same.
The police then entered King’s home and found Felicia, Ava and Melina shot dead.
