A Phoenix shooting left five people, including the shooter, dead on Tuesday after a 26-year-old man reportedly opened fire on four of his family members in an incident police are calling an "unbelievable tragedy."
Police told the Arizona Republic that suspect Alex Buckner opened fire on family members at their home near 51st Avenue and Cactus Road and also set the residence on fire early Tuesday morning. The suspect was eventually shot by police, the newspaper said.
Parents Vic, 50, and Kimberly Buckner, 49, were killed along with their daughters Kaitlin, 18, and
Emma, 6, according to CBS5az.com.
"We're getting some feedback from family members at this point on some of the problems that the suspect may have had," Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump told the local station. "There had been some indications of drug use that they had moved out of state. There was drug abuse alleged or even some treatment that it was alleged in Oklahoma where the family had resided."
Crump said the first call for assistance came from inside the home from a person claiming they were being shot at.
"You have a caller on the line who is indicating they need help and they can see people in the upper windows that are trying to get them to help them," he said.
In a Facebook post, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton praised police, some who had donned fire gear to confront the suspect while responding to the shooting, and other first responders.
"They looked like a very happy family and they would always look out for one another," Paulina Bustamante, who was a close friend of the family, told CBS5az.com. "They always showed they cared for them as family and for other people as well."
Authorities said three Phoenix police officers were later treated for smoke inhalation, according to the Republic.
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