In a tragic incident in Verdigris, Oklahoma, a mother and her three young children were found dead in their home on Thursday evening, following an hours-long standoff with the police. The victims have not been identified at this time. The standoff began when a police officer noticed fireworks erupting outside the home and went to investigate. The officer discovered a woman and two children locked inside the garage, who claimed that another woman with a gun had taken one of the children and locked them inside. The officer immediately called for backup, and multiple agencies, including a SWAT team from the Cherokee Nation, surrounded the house.

For the next three hours, authorities attempted to negotiate with the woman barricaded inside the home, later identified as Brandy McCaslin, 39. Unfortunately, these attempts were unsuccessful, as McCaslin did not respond. Concerned for the safety of those inside, officers made the decision to enter the home. Tragically, they discovered the lifeless bodies of McCaslin and her three children, who had all suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The children were ages 11, 6, and just 10 months old.

A handgun was found at the scene, leading authorities to believe that this was a murder-suicide. The investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The motive behind the tragic event remains unknown, and it is unclear how McCaslin and the woman who dropped off one of the children for a supervised visitation knew each other.

This is not the first time that law enforcement has been called to the home. Police Chief Jack Shackelford revealed that officers had responded to domestic and mental health-related calls at the residence on previous occasions. The community is left devastated by this heartbreaking incident, mourning the loss of four lives.

Murder-suicides are unfortunately not uncommon in the United States. According to a study conducted in October, approximately 600 murder-suicides occur each year in the country, resulting in 1,000 to 1,500 deaths. Previous data from the National Violent Death Reporting System indicated that the majority of these incidents, 91.4%, were committed by males.

As the investigation unfolds, the Verdigris Police Department and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation have yet to provide further comments or details regarding the incident. The community is left in shock and grieving for the lives lost in this unimaginable tragedy.