Three Kids, One Adult Dead After Dad Opens Fire in Church, Then Shoots Self

A father opened fire on his three children, killing them and a third party before shooting himself to death at a place of worship named The Church in Sacramento, police said.

The shooting occurred about 5 p.m. Monday in the Arden Arcade area of California's capital, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office confirmed to KOVR. All five individuals died at the scene of the shooting.

The father reportedly had a restraining order against him and was visiting his children during a supervised visit, according to KXTV. The other adult killed in the shooting was a woman supervising the visit, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office told USA Today.

All three children were under the age of 15. The children's mother wasn't present at the time of the shooting. The name of the shooter and the victims have not yet been publicly released.

"This was not a random shooting," Sergeant Rod Grassmann of the sheriff's office told KTXL. Grassmann called the shooting a "domestic violence incident," USA Today reported.

"We'll be out here, I'm sure, most of the night going through this," Grassmann added. "There will be a lot of physical evidence that needs to be collected."

A church employee contacted police after hearing gunshots, the aforementioned publication reported. It's unclear if the church was holding services when the shooting occurred.

Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones told KTXL that the restraining order against the shooter should have prohibited his access to a weapon.

"There are still going to be a lot of unanswered questions," Jones said. "Obviously, that doesn't change the tragedy that occurred here."

Video taken by KXTV's helicopter showed first responders carrying a person through the church parking lot. But the responders weren't able to revive the individual, despite multiple attempts, the news outlet reported.

Soon after the shooting, police sectioned off the area. Local FBI officers also reported to the scene, a customary action when legal enforcement agencies are unsure about the magnitude of a threatening scene.

Newsweek contacted the Sacramento Police Department and The Church in Sacramento for comment.

"This is an unspeakable tragedy," Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg wrote in a Monday evening tweet. "It happens too often, and tonight it happened in our backyard. First thoughts are with the victims and their families. Same to the first responders who have to confront such a horrible scene."

Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote via Twitter, "Another senseless act of gun violence in America - this time in our backyard. In a church with kids inside. Absolutely devastating. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and their communities."