Man kills four, including his three children, at California church, authorities say

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Four people were killed, including three children, after a gunman opened fire at a church in Sacramento, California.

The shooting took place at The Church in Sacramento in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, where the suspect opened fire in the main sanctuary area on Monday just after 5 p.m., Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Rod Grassmann told reporters during a news conference.

Three of the victims were the children of the suspected gunman, Grassmann said. The fourth victim was supervising a court-ordered visit between the man and his children.

All of the victims were dead when first responders arrived. The suspect died by suicide, Grassmann said.

The church’s pastor called 911 around 5:07 p.m. after he heard the gunshots, ABC Sacramento affiliate KXTV reported.

When deputies arrived, they found the body of an adult male, along with his three daughters aged 9, 10 and 13, inside the sanctuary.

The mother had a restraining order against the children’s father. She was not in the building at the time of the shooting.

Investigators have labeled the shooting as a domestic violence incident, Grassmann said.

The sheriff’s office asked residents to stay away from the area near the church due to a large police presence.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Wyda Way to call 911 to provide a witness account.

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