Children, suspect killed in apparent murder-suicide at Phoenix home: PD
Glendale bar shooting leads to double murder-suicide involving Phoenix mom, 2 kids
Police said a woman shot someone outside a Glendale bar before returning home to kill her two children and herself following threatening text messages to her husband. FOX 10's Megan Spector learns more about what led up to the deadly violence.
PHOENIX - A shooting spree that police say began overnight at a Glendale bar came to a tragic end in Phoenix when two children were found shot and killed at a home.
What we know:
The incident began at Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill, located near 59th Avenue and Bell Road. Glendale police said a man reported that his wife shot at him before leaving the area in a gray SUV.
When officers got to the scene, they found another woman who had been shot in the head. She was taken to a hospital and police say she is expected to survive. According to police, the woman who was shot, and the man were known to each other, but the extent of the relationship is unknown.
By the time officers arrived, the wife who fired the gun was gone.
A woman is expected to survive after police say she was shot in the head at Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill in Glendale. (KSAZ-TV)
Shortly after, police say the man who initially called them received text messages from his wife saying that she was going to harm their children at a home in Phoenix near 47th Avenue and Bell Road.
"The male victim subsequently received a text message containing a photo of one of the children bleeding from the head," police said.
When officers got to the home, they found the woman, identified as 38-year-old Andrea Davis, and two children, a 10-year-old boy and an 18-month-old girl, dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Two children were shot and killed by their mother on May 25 at a home in Phoenix, police said. After shooting her children, police say the woman shot herself. (KSAZ-TV)
Police said Davis called 911 after his wife, Andrea, shot at him outside the bar. He later posted to Facebook, "Andrea just attempted muder on me…tried shooting me in the face and tried shooting my friend in the car."
What they're saying:
Felicia Queen, the father's cousin, said she can't fathom what the father is going through.
"They didn’t deserve it," she said about the children. "They still had their whole life ahead of them, and it’s not fair. Please pray for these babies. They didn’t deserve it."
Queen said she's praying for her cousin, Nolan Davis, his kids, and even Andrea.
"Whatever happens, don’t portray her to be this evil person. It’s not OK what she did, but she wasn’t a horrible person. She was a good mom," Queen said. "Please pray that she finds some kind of healing up there and those babies are dancing on The sky, like dancing on the clouds."
2 children, woman found dead in murder-suicide
What started as a bar shooting in Glendale ended tragically in Phoenix as a double murder-suicide involving a mother and her two children. FOX 10's Megan Spector has the details.
People in the area say they are shocked something like this could happen in their neighborhood.
"I was really surprised about this because this neighborhood is really quiet, really nice neighborhood. I always walk my dog every morning, and today was a big surprise," said a man who lives in the area.
"Never seen anything like it here, I'm just lost for words. It's just awful. Terrible. I've been here for a while and nothing like this has ever happened here. It's crazy," another neighbor said.
Phoenix police investigate after woman, 2 children found dead
Police are investigating a deadly overnight incident spanning two cities after a shooting outside a Glendale bar led officers to a Phoenix home where a woman and two children were found dead. FOX 10's Danielle Miller reports.
Big picture view:
A memorial is growing on the corner in the neighborhood near Bell Road and 51st Avenue, as of the evening of May 25. Several people stopped by to lay flowers, stuffed animals, and candles.
The larger community was shocked by this gruesome crime.
Phoenix double murder-suicide: Community reacts after mom shoots 2 kids, herself
Loved ones are mourning 10-year-old Austin and his 18-month-old sister after police say their mother, Andrea Davis, shot them before turning the gun on herself. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has more on the growing memorial and what the community is saying.
"It was useless, senseless, and then for her to go home and kill her kids and herself, it all could’ve been avoided," one person said. Others called it "terrible," and "a big surprise."
One woman told FOX 10 that she had previously taught the older child, Austin, saying she is beside herself and that Austin did not deserve this.
What we don't know:
Police said there may never be an answer for the motive that makes sense.
"It is a difficult question to even think of a possible answer of what could justify something like this," Sgt. Lorraine Fernandez with the Phoenix Police Department said. "I don’t know if we have a motive that we could establish right now — that there would be a motive that would even be acceptable for something like this."
"I can’t even imagine what would elevate a situation where a mother would even possibly get to the point where she would want to take the life of her children," Jose Santiago of the Glendale Police Department added.
What's next:
Phoenix police say they did not have any prior calls for behavioral health or domestic violence to their home.
Phoenix police will investigate the murder-suicide. Meanwhile, Glendale police will investigate the bar shooting.
What you can do:
Help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.
CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.
The Source: The Glendale Police Department