Gunman Kills Mother and 3 Children Before Turning Gun on Himself in Broward County

A detective hugged a grandmother who was crying and shouting after cops discovered a family of six shot in Broward County.

According to law enforcement officials, a gunman shot four children ages 2 to 11, as well as a 32-year-old mother, before killing himself in Pembroke Park Wednesday night.

Julie Cruz and her three children, Nova and Emery McKenzie, both two years old, and Xion Solomon, 11, perished in a domestic shooting along Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Lake Shore Drive at 7:30 p.m., according to deputies.

Deputies say the gunman and Phiinyx Solomon, 8, were hurt in the four-story apartment complex at 3181 West Hallandale Boulevard.

On Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Pembroke Park Police Department officers and Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies were stationed at the Sundrift complex, a rental community with over 30 apartments.

Angel Aquino, a Sundrift homeowner, was among the family’s neighbours who reported hearing gunshots from the fourth floor prior to the police sirens. Others overheard children screaming.

“A man tried to kill his entire family,” Aquino stated.

According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane, firefighters transported a guy and a paediatric patient to hospitals in Hollywood. She was at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, while he was at Memorial Regional Hospital.

According to deputies, the surviving gunman is the biological father of the two deceased toddlers but not the two Solomon children.

Pembroke Park police officers turned over the investigation to BSO homicide detectives, who were still working on it Thursday afternoon, according to police.

Detectives encouraged anyone with information on the case to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 and remain anonymous.

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