A California man is accused of terrifying a wealthy suburban community near the San Francisco Bay Area by shooting and killing nearly every member of his family last week.
According to the Alameda Police Department, Shane Killian, 54, is charged with four counts of first-degree premeditated murder, one act of attempted murder, and related firearms offenses. He is also accused of domestic assault, elder abuse, and a slew of additional offenses and special allegations.
According to authorities, the defendant killed his wife, 6-year-old kid, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. Killian is also accused of shooting and badly injuring his one-year-old son, who is now recovering at the UC San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland.
The assault occurred on the night of June 10 at the family’s home on Kitty Hawk Road, near the junction of Franciscan Way. Officers responded to a call from the defendant’s father-in-law, who had briefly escaped the carnage and sought assistance at a neighbor’s home.
“This is a tragic and sad incident,” Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi stated at a press conference. “And let me say this: these are the actions of a coward. I have an idea of what happened. And this individual’s acts were those of a coward.
Police have yet to provide a motive for the killings. When asked about what happened inside the Killian house that night, Joshi stated that the shooting of children and the elderly was sufficient in his book to depict the gunman as a coward.
According to authorities, several rounds were fired and various firearms were retrieved from the residence. Killian spoke with authorities after being held, and the inquiry is currently underway.
“He did not resist,” the police chief stated at the press conference. “I think he was surprised our officers got there fairly quickly.”
Law enforcement claimed the family had recently moved to the area, but did not provide any other information. Joshi noted that the Killians had only had one other police contact regarding a theft victim.
According to the police chief, the defendant’s father-in-law, Miguel Carcamo, “made some statements” to policemen who were assisting him in his final moments. According to authorities, these are the sole statements provided by the victims about the incident.
The dying man left blood on the pavement. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, neighbors assisted in the cleanup efforts following the terrible and unprecedented crime in the town.
Brenda Natali Morales, the shooter’s wife, and her mother, Marta Elena Morales, were the additional adult victims identified.
According to Fox affiliate KTVU in Oakland, the 6-year-old boy who was killed played baseball in the local Little League.
“Our heart goes out to them in its fullest,” Alameda Little League President Ron Matthews said, according to the TV station. “This is extremely bad to us – painful, to be precise. Their innocence, particularly at the age of six, is obvious. They are innocent, and this has happened to such innocents, including a one-year-old baby.”
Police later said that the weaponry found in the smashed and shattered home included a pistol and an illegal AR-style rifle.
Killian is presently being held without bond at the Santa Rita Jail, according to Alameda County authorities. He is appearing in court on July 22.
