2 Killed in Murder-Suicide After Woman Barricades Self, 4-Year-Old Child in Fla. Hotel Room and Fires Gun

Photo: Mat Hayward/Getty

A 32-year-old woman and a 4-year-old child were found shot to death on Saturday in a hotel room in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Their deaths have been classified as a murder-suicide.

Police believe that the shooting occurred after a man who was staying in the room had gone to get breakfast. When he got back, the man tried to get into the door, but it was locked. He went to the front desk and the clerk dialed 911.

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When police arrived, they were unable to open the door using a key card. A deadbolt had been locked from the inside. When officers forced entry into the room, they found that a refrigerator and sofa had been used to barricade the door.

According to astatementfrom the Port St. Lucie Police Department, the child and the woman were found on the bed. A 9mm firearm was recovered from the scene.

“This is an incredibly tragic event and on behalf of the men and women of the Port St. Lucie Police Department, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victims,” Police Chief John Bolduc said in a statement. “As a reminder, if you are in need of mental health resources, please call 211 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.”

source: people.com