A gunman has killed five people during a birthday party at a roller skating rink in a Texas town before turning the gun on himself, police said. The shooting in the town of Grand Prairie occurred late Saturday, after a fight broke out at a birthday party, said a police official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The gunman killed five people and wounded four before shooting himself in the head. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, according to police. Police say the shooter was one of the organizers of the party, which quickly got out of control when an argument erupted between two family members. No other details were given, but the official said the incident was under investigation.
“We’re going to assist the family and anybody else who attended to help them overcome this terrible situation,” police spokesman John Brimmer told local media. The wounded were treated at nearby hospitals, officials said without elaborating. According to NBC television, the shooter was the father of the boy celebrating his 11th birthday. “He was a friendly guy,” Sen Nguyen, the father of one of the children who attended the party, told the TV network.
“I don’t believe it happened like this. He was a family man.” Nguyen said the gunman’s wife and other family members were among those shot, the report said. “There’s just no cause for this,” Aaron Feldt, a resident of Grand Prairie, told The Dallas Morning News newspaper, adding that children and adults were among the guests at the party.