Three generations of a single family were identified Saturday as the
victims of Australia's worst mass shooting in 22 years, a murder-suicide
which left seven people dead.
They included Katrina Miles, 35, and her four children - three boys and a girl aged eight to 13 - who were found Friday in a shed on a rural property near the Margaret River wine region in Western Australia, police said.
Miles' mother Cynda Miles, 58, was found in the main house at the property and her father Peter Miles, 61, was found outside, Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told reporters.
Three firearms licensed to Peter Miles were also found, he said.
Confirming suggestions of a murder-suicide, Dawson added: "I wish to strongly emphasise that police do not believe any other person is involved in these crimes. Police are not searching for any other suspects."
Dawson said it was too early to confirm which member of the family was the shooter, saying more forensic work was needed.
He would only say police were alerted to the shootings by a phone call from a "male person" at the property, who was apparently the killer.
They included Katrina Miles, 35, and her four children - three boys and a girl aged eight to 13 - who were found Friday in a shed on a rural property near the Margaret River wine region in Western Australia, police said.
Miles' mother Cynda Miles, 58, was found in the main house at the property and her father Peter Miles, 61, was found outside, Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told reporters.
Three firearms licensed to Peter Miles were also found, he said.
Confirming suggestions of a murder-suicide, Dawson added: "I wish to strongly emphasise that police do not believe any other person is involved in these crimes. Police are not searching for any other suspects."
Dawson said it was too early to confirm which member of the family was the shooter, saying more forensic work was needed.
He would only say police were alerted to the shootings by a phone call from a "male person" at the property, who was apparently the killer.
The shooting happened in the small town of Osmington, close to Margaret
River, a popular tourist destination renowned for its wine, surf and
natural beauty.
A neighbour told the West Australian newspaper she was woken by gunfire
about 4:00 am Friday morning (2000 GMT Thursday), but thought it was
someone shooting kangaroos, which are numerous in the area.
"It wasn't until I saw the police that I thought, 'Hang on a minute',"
Meg Janes told the newspaper. "(The shots) were separated out, there was
quite a long gap between them."
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