Two parents and their two teenage children were shot and killed in what Pennsylvania authorities believe was an apparent murder-suicide.
While the investigation is still in the preliminary stages, Beaver County Prosecutor Nate Bible has called the incident a triple murder-suicide.
The District Attorney’s Office and North Sewickley Township Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that first responders were called around 8:30 p.m. Sunday to the Pittsburgh suburb of North Sewickley following reports of shots fired. . Authorities later determined the 911 call came from inside the home.
When officers arrived, they found the bodies of the parents, Clifford, 51, and Michelle Hunt, 48, as well as their two teenagers, Clifford Jr., 18, and his 16-year-old brother, in a state of severe. The teens, who each had gunshot wounds to the head, were rushed to a Pittsburgh hospital but died Monday.
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The prosecutor said a preliminary investigation shows that Clifford Hunt Jr. shot and killed his parents and brother, before turning the gun on himself. (Michelle Tomecsko Hunt via Facebook)
Authorities said a preliminary investigation revealed that Clifford Jr. shot his parents and brother, before turning the gun on himself.
“At this point, it appears that the eldest son, Clifford Jr., was the last one alive. Several weapons were removed from the scene,” Bible said. told WTAE-TV. “We are still determining what weapons were used and against whom, trying to piece together a timeline of what might have happened.”
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Police were called to the Hunts’ home in North Sewickley, Pennsylvania, on Sunday. (Google Maps)
The small town was in shock after the killings, with one resident saying it was difficult for people to “understand” the shootings.
Jennifer Lanham, who worked near the Hunts’ home, was informed by one of her employees that police had asked them to close their store as an abundance of caution following the incident.
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“Everybody here knows everybody. You know, we’re a close-knit community. Everybody looks out for everybody. So something like this is an unprecedented tragedy here,” Lanham told WTAE-TV .
“It’s really scary. It’s really hard to really understand something like this, because it’s a multiple homicide in a small, small town,” she told the outlet. “You don’t hear that every day, and it’s astonishing.”
A friend of Michelle’s remembers the 48-year-old mother of two as an animal lover.
“It’s not just one tragedy, but it’s four at once,” Autumn Ashurst told WTAE-TV. “People are, on the one hand, desperate to find answers and, on the other hand, to see how they can help.”
Michelle and Cody Hunt are remembered for their love of aviation and their volunteer work at a local museum. (Air Heritage Aviation Museum)
Michelle and Cody shared a love of aviation and volunteered at the Air Heritage Aviation Museum in Beaver Falls. The nonprofit said they will “be greatly missed” at the museum.
“Michelle served as Secretary for the past two years. Michelle and Cody were both enthusiastic members of the C-123K Fairchild Provider ‘Thunder Pig’ crew. They often flew together on the Thunder Pig for shows aerial flights and flyovers and were very proud of the fact that this is the last known C-123 still flying in the world,” the museum wrote in a statement. “They both loved and had a vast knowledge of the aircraft and enjoyed sharing its history with people who visited it at air shows.”
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The museum noted that Cody had recently passed his exams for his pilot’s license and dreamed of flying for the Air Force. They said Michelle was a dedicated volunteer who “always showed up with a smile on her face and ready to work.”
“She and Cody will be greatly missed by everyone at the museum and all the visitors she happily welcomed to the museum,” they said. “Michelle and Cody will be honored and remembered at the museum so that all who enter will know their contributions and selfless service to our organization. May they both fly high on the wings of angels.”
Cody Hunt dreamed of joining the United States Air Force after graduation. (Michelle Tomecsko Hunt via Facebook)
In a statement Posted earlier this week, Cody’s school, Riverside High School, honored the Grade 11 student by highlighting his love of aviation, his participation in the school marching band as a saxophonist and his compassion for others.
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“Cody’s teachers and friends would say he had a good heart and was always helping others. He will be greatly missed by everyone at Riverside,” the statement said.
Bill Hunt was found dead alongside his wife, Michelle, in what authorities are calling a triple murder-suicide. (Bill Hunt via Facebook)
Michelle Hunt’s friend organized a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of all four funerals. (GoFundMe)
Elsewhere, the community came together to honor the family by launching a GoFundMe aimed at covering the costs of four funerals.
“The unthinkable happened to everyone who knew and loved them and this tragedy has devastated the community,” said GoFundMe organizer Autumn Stang. “This North Sewickley family of 4 lost their lives in a tragedy that we are all still struggling to understand.”
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In a message Following the shooting, the North Sewickley Police Department said it was a “contained incident” and there was no threat to the public.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Riverside Beaver County School District and the Air Heritage Aviation Museum for comment.
