Lakewood in Los Angeles County, California, was rocked by a double murder-suicide, where a man opened fire on a woman and her child before turning the gun on himself. The shooter has now been identified as the father Hector Lionel Alfaro.
Authorities are yet to determine the motive. Jorge Fuentes, the brother in law, told NBC LA that neighbors reached out to help during the tough time. “All the other family members that showed up, they were hosting us, providing their home for whatever needs we had. It’s been a lot of reaching out by friends and family to support us through this difficult time,” he said.
Fuentes added, “It’s hard to process. It’s pain, anger, hard to understand how a person that’s supposed to be a protector and a father to those girls would have done something so hideous.”
Here’s all you need to know about Hector Lionel Alfaro and the Lakewood shooting.
Hector Lionel Alfaro: 5 things to know
- Alfaro was 52 years old, and was found dead with a gunshot wound to his upper torso.
- Alfaro and his family lived at the 5800 block of Lorelei Avenue. “Through investigation, Homicide Investigators learned gunshots were heard within the residence by Alfaro’s 19-year-old daughter while she was asleep,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
- Two firearms were recovered from the scene where Alfaro killed his family and then himself.
- Alfaro shot his 48-year-old wife in the bedroom, firing at her torso. His 17-year-old daughter was shot in the second bedroom. He also ‘shot at’ his 19-year-old with a handgun several times, but did not hit her, the department added.
- Alfaro shot himself standing near his 19-year-old daughter, the department noted in its statement.
Meanwhile, the situation remains ongoing and though Fuentes, the brother-in-law, spoke to the media, he requested that the community respect the family’s privacy as they process what happened.