4 Shot To Death At LA County Home Day Care

SANTA CLARITA, CA — A man killed himself after shooting to death his wife and two children at the family's Santa Clarita home, where the family ran a daycare, according to police.

Sheriff's Lt. Rodney Moore said the bodies were those of a man in his early to mid-50s; his wife in her 40s to early 50s; their daughter in her early 20s; and their son, about 11 or 12 years old. Their names were withheld, pending notification of kin.

The four people were found shot to death this morning at a home in Santa Clarita on the 28800 block Startree Lane. The residence was a home daycare, according to media reports. Their bodies were discovered at about 7 a.m. Friday.

The shooting is being investigated as a murder-suicide, and authorities don't believe there is a shooter on the loose.

The deceased were later identified as 51-year-old Michael Birnkrant, the suspected shooter; his 47-year-old wife Amy; their daughter Drew, who was in her early 20s; and their 11-year-old son Sean, according to media reports.

Neighbors said the home served as a day care facility that was closed for the holidays, and that the suspect's wife worked as a pre-school teacher at a nearby public school. He reportedly worked as a driver.

"Upon those deputies' arrival, they located four individuals who had sustained gunshot wounds to the upper torsos," Moore said. "They were all pronounced dead here at the scene."

Moore said the case "appears to be a murder-suicide in which the husband shot and killed all three individuals and then turned the gun on himself."

The handgun was recovered at the scene. It was unclear when the shootings occurred, Moore said, adding that no one had reported hearing gunshots.

"At this time, we are not looking for any outstanding suspects," Moore said.

"All four victims were pronounced dead at the scene," a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department official added.

According to KNX1070, authorities discovered the bodies after being sent to the home on a request to perform a welfare check, and investigators are not looking for any suspects in the case.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

City News Service contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock