Gunman kills six people including girlfriend before turning weapon on himself in front of children at birthday party in Colorado
Watch: 7 Adults Dead, Including Gunman, In Colorado Shooting
A man has shot six people dead including his girlfriend before taking his own life in front of terrified children at a birthday party in Colorado.
The latest mass shooting to scar the US happened at a mobile home park in Colorado Springs, where people were gathered to celebrate.
“The suspect, a boyfriend of one of the female victims, drove to the residence, walked inside and began shooting people at the party before taking his own life,” said the statement released by the Colorado Springs Police Department.
“Friends, family, and children were gathered inside the trailer to celebrate when the shooting occurred,” the statement said.
Family members mourn at the scene where their loved ones were killed in Colorado Springs
(AP)The man did not fire on the traumatised children during the massacre at the Canterbury Manufactured Home Community, which is comprised of 470 trailers and mostly Latino residents. A motive has yet to be determined.
Police arrived to find six people dead plus a seventh who was seriously wounded and died after being taken to a hospital, a police statement said.
Freddie Marquez, 33, said his mother-in-law was one of the victims and that he was at the party but left around 10.30pm on Saturday.
Some time after midnight, he received a call from the son of one of the women at the party, who was crying on the phone.
“Somebody came in and shot everybody,” Mr Marquez said, relating what he had been told on the phone.
The Denver Post quoted neighbour Yenifer Reyes as saying she was awakened by the sound of gunfire.
“I thought it was a thunderstorm. Then I started hearing sirens,” Ms Reyes told the newspaper.
She said she saw police take children out of the trailer and put them into a squad car.
“They were crying hysterically,” she said.
Police said they withheld releasing details of the shooting for several hours “in order to properly and respectfully notify family members of the deceased and ensure support was in place.”
The massacre is the latest US mass shooting, which have risen in number after dropping during the height of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
The recent shootings have revived the gun control debate, with President Joe Biden calling them a “national embarrassment” and calling for new legislation from Congress.
But he faces serious opposition from gun rights advocates including Republicans and some Democrats who cite the US Constitution’s protection of gun ownership rights.
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