Two children were killed and a third was clinging to life after a man opened fire early Monday in a northeast Las Vegas Valley residence, also killing a woman and himself, police said.
The children are younger than 14, Las Vegas Police Lt. Robert Price said at an afternoon news conference. The victims were connected to the shooter, he said, without detailing the relationship.
The identities haven't been made public.
A man went to the residence to check on his brother, discovered that people were down and called police, who responded to a home in a residential complex about 10 a.m., Price said.
The surviving juvenile was described as "clinging to life" at UMC Trauma Center, Price said.
Investigators are trying to determine a motive, he said. It's not clear whether the residence was the home of the shooter, who was believed to have been on house arrest, police said.
The violence comes amid a spate of shootings in Las Vegas, including the shooting Wednesday on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which killed three people and injured a fourth, and the shooting last week of five homeless people at an encampment, one of whom was killed.
Despite the attacks, the murder rate in Las Vegas was down 11% compared to the same time last year, according to police data.
Asked how Monday's shooting fit into a dark December for the city, Price said he didn't want to relate it to other events.
"This is a very sad and tragic event," he said.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
