Associated Press
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Neighbors at a Beaverton apartment complex where authorities say a 36-year-old man killed his two young children and then himself are providing more details about the deadly shooting.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that neighbors hears screams and saw a woman running from her apartment after Beaverton police say Lakalo Kawika Enfield killed his 6-year-old son Lakalo Vergara Enfield and his 8-year-old daughter Lehua Elaysea Enfield before shooting and killing himself on Wednesday afternoon.
Beaverton detectives are investigating the deaths, along with the Washington County Major Crimes Team.
Sabrina Hayes said she rushed outside to help Liezl Vergara Enfield, the dead man’s wife, after she heard screams. She says Liezl Enfield had blood on her hands and had been inside the house at the time of the shooting.
“My heart dropped. Because I have kids,” Hayes said.
The Enfields had lived in the apartment complex since July.
Beaverton police said Thursday that officers were called to the Enfields’ home last week due to a domestic violence report. Officers responded to a verbal disturbance between the couple, but there were no signs of assault, police said. The husband agreed to leave to stay with a relative, said spokesman Officer Mike Rowe said.
When police arrived at the apartment on Wednesday they believed Lakalo Kawika Enfield and the children were dead. As they backed out of the apartment to preserve evidence and the crime scene, however, Rowe said they heard rustling inside and then a single gunshot.
A tactical negotiation team then entered the unit and confirmed all three people inside were dead.
“They’re in our thoughts and in our hearts,” Beaverton police spokesman Officer Jeremy Shaw said. “As they grieve, we grieve as a community.”
Jennifer Underwood, who lives across the parking lot from the Enfields’ apartment, said she plans to take a personal day at home to process what happened.
“It makes me sad for humanity in general,” she said.
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