Man killed 4 family members in murder-suicide at Minnesota home, police say

A gentleman fatally shot 4 spouse and children customers though they slept in their Duluth, Minnesota, property this week just before killing himself, law enforcement claimed Thursday.

Taylor Cole-Skogstad, 29, is suspected of killing his aunt and uncle, two young cousins and a dog before killing himself, Duluth Law enforcement Main Mike Tusken stated at a news meeting.

“Officers think that this incident is a murder-suicide,” he mentioned.

The bodies of Riana Lou Barry, 44 Sean Christopher Barry, 47 Shiway Elizabeth Barry, 12 and Sadie Lucille Barry, 9, ended up observed in the house Wednesday afternoon, Tusken explained.

Cole-Skogstad was also uncovered dead in the house with a 9 mm gun near to his overall body, he mentioned.

Tusken reported it is thought the household was killed overnight. The trigger of death was determined to be “gunshot wounds whilst the victims have been sleeping,” Tusken claimed.

“You cannot unsee it, so it is very challenging,” he stated.

Ahead of officers arrived at the property, Hermantown police attempted to do a welfare test on Cole-Skogstad but ended up unable to locate him, Tusken reported.

A household member instructed Hermantown law enforcement that Cole-Skogstad experienced sent a information stating he supposed to damage himself and his household, Tusken said. The concept was considered to have been posted later on on a public social media page, Duluth police explained.

Duluth law enforcement also got info that Cole-Skogstad had access to a weapon.

Immediately after doing work with Hermantown law enforcement, Duluth officers arrived at the household at 12:29 p.m. Wednesday on a report that Cole-Skogstad was “dealing with a mental health and fitness disaster,” Tusken mentioned. Officers then read 1 gunshot, he said.

The premises were being searched with robots and drones, and a tactical response crew went into the dwelling and discovered the bodies all over 3 p.m., Tusken explained.

Neither Hermantown nor Duluth police experienced histories of any previous phone calls indicating a sample of conduct of concern relating to Cole-Skogstad, Duluth police explained.

The family that have been killed seemed favored a “very tight” device, Tusken reported. Their images dotted the household, which built the gruesome scene “even extra heartbreaking” for responding officers, he claimed.

Duluth Metropolis Council President Arik Forsman claimed he knew Riana Barry and her daughter Shiway.

“Our hearts are shattered,” Forsman explained at the information convention Thursday.

“It’s difficult to place into words the sadness I sense as a councilor, a Duluthian and as a father,” he said.

Tim Stelloh contributed.