US man kills 3 daughters, their chaperone before shooting himself dead at church

A man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls Monday at a church in Sacramento, California, authorities said.

Deputies responding to reports of gunfire around 5 p.m. found five people dead, including the shooter, at the church in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, said Sgt. Rod Grassmann with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

The victims included three girls ages 9, 10 and 13, Grassmann said.

The shooter was estranged from his daughters’ mother, who had a restraining order against him, Sheriff Scott Jones said.

Investigators believe the shooting happened during a supervised visit with the children and that the fourth victim was their chaperone, Jones said.

The shooter’s name wasn’t immediately released, but officials said he was 39 years old.

An employee of The Church In Sacramento heard the gunshots and called 911, Grassmann said.

Sheriff’s officials are investigating it as a domestic violence incident, he said.