Man fatally shoots wife with 7 children present, turns gun on himself
Police say a 21-year-old witness may have prevented further bloodshed in Panorama City when he wrestled with a man who moments earlier had shot his wife to death with seven children present.
The witness — described as a boyfriend of one of the children, ages 1 to 19 — engaged the man Friday night outside the apartment, after which he shot and killed himself, police said.
The shooter, identified only as being in his 40s, and his 41-year-old, common-law wife, were both pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 9:45 p.m. in the 8700 block of Tobias Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide, police said.
Among the seven children, one belonged to the couple, three were the woman’s and three were grandchildren.
No one else was injured in the incident.
For breaking news in Los Angeles and the Southland, follow @Caitlin__Owens, or email her at caitlin.owens@latimes.com.
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