KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A father shot and killed his two children before taking his own life at a home last week in the Northland, police said Tuesday.
The incident happened at a home in the 1000 block of NW 91st Terrace on the night of Thursday, Jan. 2.
Police had responded to the home on a welfare check because smoke was coming out of a window, police said on the night of the incident.
When officers arrived, they noticed smoke inside the home and attempted to go inside.
The fire spread, so the officers retreated and called fire crews, who quickly put out the fire.
Once back inside, police located Charlotte Hatcher, 6, and Jeffrey Hatcher, 8, suffering from gunshot wounds. The siblings died from their gunshot wounds.
Their father and suspect in the case, Zachary Hatcher, also died in the incident.
The siblings were both students at Pathfinder Elementary in the Platte County R-3 School District.
Jeffrey was a second grader and Charlotte was a kindergartner, the district previously confirmed.
Police said their deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide.
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