Two dead in apparent murder-suicide, children safe

An unknown officer carries a child away from the scene. (CONTRIBUTED/WILLIAM MARTIN)

By Aldo Amato

Staff Reporter

HUNTSVILLE — Huntsville Police received a call this morning around 7:40 a.m. from an unidentified woman about possible gunshots inside a home near Madison.

According to Police, five individuals were inside the home on Mountain Creek Drive that included two women, one man and two children. A five hour standoff shut down most of the Knox Creek subdivision.

Police brought in SWAT and negotiators in to try and end the situation including a pastor and friends of the individual with the handgun. At around 12:23 p.m., the SWAT team entered the home and found a man and woman dead. The unidentified man died of what police say was a self inflicted gunshot wound.

“This was a domestic case that ended in a suicide,” Police spokesman Harry Hobbs said. “The two children inside were unharmed and are currently located with family members.”

One other woman was transported to Huntsville Hospital by HEMSI in “Priority 1” condition.

“What we found on the surface is that there are previous domestic issues,” Hobbs said. “There was some form of communication, but not as we had hoped.”

The apparent murder suicide is still under investigation and names of the individuals involved have not been released pending family notification.

Photo contributed by William Martin of HuntsvilleNewswire.com.