A 40-year-old woman and her three children -- two children and an adult -- were found shot to death Tuesday inside a Florida apartment, police said.
Lake Wales police said officers were called around 8:50 p.m. to the Sunrise Apartments and found four victims dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The children were 21, 17 and 11 years old, according to Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez.
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Police said Al Stenson, 38, of Lake Wales, wanted on four counts of first-degree murder in connection to the shooting deaths, was located Wednesday morning.
“We know exactly where he’s at right now, and we’re working to take him into custody in as safe a way as we can,” Velasquez said during a news conference outside the apartment complex where the victims lived, east of Tampa.
It was later learned Stenson was located at a Sanford motel, where he was later shot and killed by law enforcement following an hourslong negotiation to get him safely into custody.
Detectives said their investigation determined Stenson shot the victims inside the apartment around 5 a.m. Tuesday and fled. Authorities were not contacted until about 16 hours later when family members found the victims.
“Our hearts are broken for the family,” Velasquez said.
The motive for the slayings is unknown, but police said Stenson and the victims knew each other and he may have lived at the apartment.
No other details have been released.
Check back for updates.