Warning: Distressing content
A man has allegedly shot and killed his twin daughters before turning the gun on himself inside their family home in St. Charles, Illinois.
Randall Coffland reportedly shot daughters, Brittany and Tiffany Coffland, 16, and wounded his wife, Anjum Coffland, before then calling 911, telling police he would kill himself.
“Randall clearly tells the dispatchers that he shot and killed his two kids and he shot his wife. He then said he was going to shoot himself,” deputy chief Dave Kintz said according to the NY Daily News.
People reports that police believe Randall targeted his wife’s legs so she would survive the shooting, and can reportedly be heard on 911 recordings telling her, “I want you to live and suffer like I did.”.
According to AP, police have confirmed that the couple were married but had been living at separate addresses. Police had reportedly responded to an incident involving the couple back in February.
Mrs Coffland, who remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries, also made a call to 911, which has been released to the media.
“Oh my God! My husband shot my kids!,” Mrs Coffland can be heard screaming, according to People. “He shot me … my girls are dead, my girls … oh my God!”
“He killed my daughters, he killed my daughters,” she yells. “He shot me. I’m going into shock. He killed my girls. He f—ing killed my girls. I’ve lost a lot of blood.”
A neighbor reportedly heard gun shots and also called 911 around 5:15 p.m.
“When I walked across the street I had heard screams. I looked up and I noticed in that apartment they had the door open and I was thinking that’s weird because it was so cold outside,” neighbor Tammy Hartje told WGN-TV.
Tributes have been pouring in from the tight-knit community.
“It’s kind of unnerving to realize that someone you were so close with, and could see in a day, and could be gone in a matter of hours,” Ally Siebrasse, a friend of the twin sisters told WGNTV.
“Tiffany would just absolutely light up a room with her smile. Her personality. She was an amazing young girl. You could tell made everyone better just by knowing her,” Siebrasse said, adding, Brittany, a cheerleader, was “kindhearted.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact 1800 Respect (1800 737 732)
