A 54-year-old man from California is facing charges of premeditated murder and other crimes following the alleged shooting and killing of his family in a wealthy suburban neighborhood near the San Francisco Bay Area. The Alameda Police Department has charged Shane Killian counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The charges were laid after his 1-year-old son, who was initially hospitalized with critical injuries, passed away. The victims include Killian’s wife, 6-year-old son, mother-in-law, and father-in-law.
The tragic incident took place on July 10 at the family’s home on Kitty Hawk Road. The police were alerted by Killian’s father-in-law, who managed to escape the scene and seek help from a neighbor. Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi referred to the incident as “tragic and sad,” and condemned Killian’s actions as those of a “coward.”
The reason behind the killings is still unclear. Chief Joshi stressed that the act of and the elderly is enough to label the shooter as a coward. Several firearms were found at the scene, and Killian reportedly cooperated with detectives during his arrest.
The adult victims have been identified as Brenda Natali Morales, Killian’s wife, and Marta Elena Morales, her mother. The community is mourning the loss of the 6-year-old boy, who was a member of the local Little League baseball team. The 1-year-old boy also died from his injuries, leaving no surviving members of his immediate family.
Among the firearms recovered from the crime scene were a pistol and an illegal AR-style rifle. Killian is currently being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail and is set to appear in court on July 22.