'Massacre': Police investigate quadruple homicide involving 3 children in Oklahoma City

Police in Oklahoma City are investigating after five people including three children died in what investigators believe to be an apparent murder-suicide at a home late Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City Police Department spokesman Sgt. Gary Knight told USA TODAY the shooting took place sometime before 11:30 p.m.

According to a press release, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at a home on NW 5^th Terrace where they found five people shot − a man, a woman and their three children.

Police identified the victims as 29-year-old Cassandra Flores; Hillary Armendariz, 9; Damaris Armendariz, 5 and Matias Armendariz, 2.

A fifth person, the suspected shooter, was identified by police as 28-year-old Ruben Armendariz,

Police said Ruben Armendariz and one of the wounded children were still alive when officers arrived.

Both were taken to local hospitals where they died, according to police.

Investigators said it appears Flores and Armendariz were married but separated and that Armendariz shot the four victims before turning the gun on himself.

The home where the shootings took place is about 10 miles west of downtown.

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Motive in shooting under investigation

A motive in the shootings was not immediately known.

"This investigation is in the very early stages, and detectives are currently trying to piece together the chain of events that led to the massacre," police wrote in the release.

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A medical examiner will determine the cause of death for each of the victims, Knight said.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.