Authorities confirmed that an 8-year-old boy is in stable condition after his parents were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide at a New Hampshire home.
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and Manchester police Chief Peter A. Marr confirmed in a statement that officers with the Manchester Police Department responded to a requested welfare check at a home in Manchester, New Hampshire, around 9:34 a.m. on Tuesday, October 27.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Alex Kellermann said during a press conference that the caller was a family member who said that a “potential domestic dispute” took place at the home, according to the Boston Globe.
When officers arrived at the residence, they entered the home and found that the man and woman were both dead in a bedroom after they suffered gunshot wounds.
The adult victims have since been identified as married couple Bianchinies “Benny” Cruz and Alisha Cruz. It’s believed that Bianchinies, 36, fatally shot Alisha, 35, several times before he died by suicide.
Police then found the boy, who was “alert and conscious” but was suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso.
The boy was transported to a regional trauma center for treatment, where he is currently in stable condition.
“It’s fair to say that it was crucial that call was made, and that child was able to get the lifesaving treatment that he needed,” Kellermann told reporters.
An investigation has since been launched into the suspected murder-suicide, as authorities work to determine what events may have led to the killings.
Authorities said that autopsies for the man and woman were scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 28, at 8:30 a.m. Once the autopsies were completed and the next of kin was notified, authorities said they planned to share more information regarding the incident and the cause and manner of death.
Officials believe the murder-suicide was an isolated incident and insisted there was no threat to the public.
As much is unknown about the case, authorities confirmed that it is too early in the case to determine why the shootings may have happened.
“We’re still collecting that information,” Kellermann said, according to WMUR. “We’ve talked to a number of individuals. We’ve received information from family members, friends, neighbors. We’re putting that all together. We’re hoping to have additional information as to the motive.”
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