Police sources: 4 dead in apparent murder-suicide in Linden
LINDEN, N.J. -- There was a family tragedy in New Jersey on Sunday. Police sources told CBS2 a father fatally shot his wife and two children before taking his own life.
People who knew the family were coming by the neighborhood and lighting candles to remember the four lives lost.
Neighbors were still trying to make sense of it all. CBS2 was told the family was quiet and kind.
Valentine's Day balloons in the doorway. A Ford pickup truck in the driveway. As the medical examiner drove off, those were the reminders of the family of four that lived at 18 Chatham Place in Linden.
Police sources say Sunday morning the husband shot his wife and their two children -- a boy and a girl -- who classmates say are 13 and 12 years old, before killing himself. Police say the two adults and a child were found dead inside the home. The other child died later at University Hospital in Newark.
"I said hello to him a couple times. He doesn't really say much," neighbor Omar Catalbas said.
Neighbors said the husband was a quiet man, an electrician, and the wife was a hair stylist who worked out of the home. They said she was always friendly while walking their dog.
"She was always so nice, nice smile on her face every time never. Would think something was wrong," Catalbas said. "When her daughter was younger her daughter would walk a fake dog, a little doggy, imitating her mom and stuff. Really cute."
On Sunday evening, classmates of the children placed candles and balloons outside the home. It's a tragedy that is hard to fathom.
"I feel terrible today because I saw that kids since they born," neighbor Digna Alvarez said. "I never saw any fight in this house. It was very nice people. Family, very together family. They went in snow all the time together, playing in the snow, riding bicycles together."
Gov. Phil Murphy said he is "closely monitoring the horrific shooting" and that his office will support Linden however possible as the city mourns.
Police told CBS2 they won't be releasing any more information, including the identities of the deceased, until Monday.