Police: 4 People, Including Baby, Found Shot To Death Inside Brooklyn Apartment
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Four people, including a 1-year-old girl and a teenage boy, were found shot to death early Wednesday morning inside an apartment in Brooklyn, according to police.
The gruesome, tragic discovery was made around 5 a.m. when a woman -- Patricia Green -- returned to her fourth floor apartment at the Riverdale Towers on Thatford Avenue in Brownsville and found her family dead.
"Inside the apartment, responding officers observed four deceased individuals, all dead from apparent gunshot wounds," said NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Kemper.
The victims have been identified as Laylay Briggs, 1, Terrance Briggs, 27, Loyd Drain III, 16, and Loyd Drain, Jr., 57.
UPDATE: At approx 5am officers of the 73 precinct responded to a 911 call at 345 Thatford Ave, Brooklyn. Upon entering, officers found 3 adult males and 1 infant female deceased from apparent gunshots wounds. A firearm has been recovered and the investigation is ongoing. pic.twitter.com/vIPoiWh9Z7
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 14, 2018
Drain Jr., Green's husband, was found in the bathroom and her son Loyd Drain III was found in a bedroom. In another bedroom was Terrance Briggs, another son, along with his 1-year-old daughter Laylay.
For friends, the thought of the grief is unimaginable.
"She loved her family beyond love," neighbor Vanessa Swain told CBS2's Magdalena Doris. "To see someone that I see every day, to go through this now, I'm just numb."
"My heart, it hurts to imagine her pain – to go through that," family friend Juan Campos said.
"God bless the mother. Imagine what she felt when she went in there and saw it?" said neighbor Kathy Lindo. "A baby? Why a baby? Could've left the baby."
4 dead in Riverdale Towers #Bronwnsville:
— Maggie Kent (@MaggieKent6abc) March 14, 2018
1 year old baby girl & her 27 year old father. 16 year old boy & 57 year old man. All family members died from gunshot wounds. Discovered by 53 year old woman (wife/mother grandma of deceased) Gun found inside 4th floor apt. @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/wS5OF6TGQS
The case is also difficult for police.
"I just want to give my sympathy and my heart goes out to this family," said NYPD Assistant Chief Jeffrey Maddrey. "The nature of this business, we deal with death and tragic scenes but when it involves an infant, it's extremely tough."
Investigators said a firearm, bullets and shell casings were recovered from the scene and said they are checking surveillance video in the area as well as interviewing family members and witnesses.
"At this time, we do not have a motive for this incident but we are working very hard to establish one," said Kemper.
The patriarch was known as "Big Daddy" in the community. He and his wife were famous for generous barbecues in the neighborhood.
"They were very friendly," family friend Noel Cordero said. "They were nice people."
"It is really difficult. That's my neighbor. I've known him for more than 15 years," said neighbor Jose Valdez. "Happy, laughing with everybody. A good man."
He was known to be extraordinarily close to and proud of his son and namesake.
"Lloyd was a good person. All he did was play basketball, wanted to go to college, making his family and mother proud," said family friend Josh Sanders.
A police source told CBS2 the older Drain had a history of friction with his stepson, Terrance Briggs, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported. They believe Briggs killed the other three, including his little girl, before killing himself.
The investigation is ongoing.