Six family members are believed to be dead following a shooting and house fire in Pennsylvania.
What Has Happened?
Included in the group of feared to have been killed is the alleged gunman, who was reportedly having an argument with his 13-year-old niece before tragedy occurred.
The alleged shooter was identified by his mother as Canh Le, 43.
His mother, Chin Le, told local outlet Action News that she heard her son arguing with his niece in an upstairs bedroom when he said he was going to get a gun.
The Woman is ‘Lost’
She added that she is not sure why her son, who had no known history of mental illness, had a gun. She said he is dead, although investigators have yet to confirm the identities of those killed.
The mother of the alleged shooter said that her other son, Xuong Le, and his wife, Britni Le, are also presumed dead, as are their three children, NaKayla, 13, NaTayla, 17, and Xavier, 10.
Le said her husband removed her from the home before shots were fired. Her husband then dialed 911.
It is not clear how many victims died by gunshot versus by fire, with causes of death set to be determined by autopsies.
Emergency crews have spent the day attempting to recover the family’s bodies.
No History of Criminal Record
Le said her family did not have a history of fighting, and have lived peacefully in the area since 1981 when she and her family came to the US.
Police responded to reports of a young girl being shot in East Lansdowne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, around 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday.
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At the Crime Scene
Two officers, David Schiazza, 54, and John Meehan, 44, who arrived on the scene, were shot and the house was set on fire.
The shooter is believed to have been shooting from the third floor of the house.
Both officers are expected to survive their injuries.
Schiazza is set to be released from Penn Presbyterian Hospital on Thursday afternoon.
Meehan, who was shot in the arm, required immediate surgery yesterday and remains at the hospital for treatment.
