'PREMEDITATED' EVIL
Sydney dad found dead after shooting daughter, 13, and son, 15, amid bitter custody battle
The murder of two teenage children comes in the midst of a bitter custody battle, cops said
A DAD who shot and killed his daughter, 15, and son, 13, has been found dead in a nearby house tonight.
The childrens' heartbroken mum came home to find them both dead at around 5.20pm on Thursday at a house, in the northwestern Sydney suburb of West Pennant Hills.
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Cops initially launched a manhunt for a man "of interest", but this morning confirmed a 68-year-old man's body had been found in a nearby suburb.
It is believed the dad was seeprated from the mum and there was a heated and on-going custody battle.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden told reporters it appeared to be a “targeted incident” related to domestic violence.
I cannot imagine the significant stress and heartache she is going through," he said.
"Nothing can prepare you to walk into a home and see two children in that state. There [are] no words that we can say to the family."
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Police said the man had not been living at the children's house.
"This [shooting] is something that has been premeditated and planned," Mr McFadden said.
He said the victims were found dead by officers called to the “horrific scene” following reports of gunshots.
“It was a very harrowing experience for the emergency services who responded,” he said.
“You’ve got a family that is going to struggle to come to terms with it and emergency responders will struggle to come to terms with what they have seen.”
Two handguns were found at the scene.
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The victims’ mother, aged in her 30s, arrived at the scene after police and was treated for severe shock.
Acting Assistant Commissioner McFadden told it had not yet been determined how many shots were fired but that police were speaking with several witnesses.
NSW Ambulance Inspector Kevin McSweeney told reporters that when paramedics arrived they “were confronted with an extremely distressing and stressful situation”.
“Two teenagers were unfortunately deceased in their bedroom and unfortunately at that time there was nothing we could do to help them,” he said.
The mother was being treated by paramedics at the scene more than two hours after the fatal incident, but was later with friends away from the crime scene.
The bloody attack took place in the house on Hull Road, just off the Cumberland Highway.
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At the scene on Thursday evening, forensic investigators wearing white protective suits could be seen walking up and down the street with torches and cameras.
About 150m of the road was blocked off, with witches hats stopping cars from entering one end, and uniformed police officers standing guard on both.
Some residents who lived in the exclusion zone were escorted back inside their houses upon arriving late to the horror that, on this occasion, had come too close to home.
Longtime resident John Howard, 82, told news.com.au it was “normally a pretty quiet street”.
Mr Howard said he didn’t hear any gunshots.
He was alerted to the incident when his daughter saw it on the news and contacted him before he came outside.
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“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “It’s so horrific… especially for such young people to be the ones killed.”
About 20 residents, including young children, gathered on the street while police examined the crime scene.
Homicide detectives continued door knocking neighbours late into the night in search of information as to exactly what transpired.
A version of this story originally appeared on
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