Four people, including a woman and her three children, were discovered dead at a home near Tulsa, Oklahoma, BNO reported. Local officials have described the incident as a triple murder-suicide, marking a loss of innocent lives.

The event unfolded on Thursday evening at a residence located in the area of Cypress Street and Dogwood Court in Verdigris, a town just east of Tulsa in Rogers County. The incident led to a standoff that began at approximately 5 p.m., prompting law enforcement to respond swiftly to the situation.

Also Read: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport propane tank fire: Evacuation order issued| Watch Video

Journalist Reagan Ledbetter shared that authorities were aware of the woman’s possession of a semi-automatic pistol during the standoff. Their primary concern was ensuring the safety of the children, which influenced their decision not to enter the residence. Instead, they attempted to coax the woman out peacefully, hoping to avoid any further harm to the children.

The situation persisted for about two hours, during which time specialized teams, including the Cherokee Nation Marshals SWAT, were called in to offer assistance. At the end of the ordeal, officers made the difficult decision to enter the home, only to discover the bodies of the woman and her three children.

As of the time of reporting, the exact time of the victims’ deaths had not been confirmed. However, it is suspected that the woman tragically took the lives of her children before turning the firearm on herself.

Reagan Ledbetter, who covered the incident, noted that the police had previous interactions with the woman, raising questions about her mental state and the factors that may have contributed to this outcome.

Also Read: Who is Jazmin Paez? 18-year-old mother arrested for trying to hire hitman for 3-year-old son

In the aftermath of the incident, multiple agencies have stepped in to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office has been involved, but the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case to conduct a thorough inquiry.