Norwalk Suspected Murder/Suicide Identities Released

NORWALK, CT — Police are investigating a suspected murder/suicide Monday morning after a father shot his daughter and then himself, police said. Officers evacuated several nearby buildings as they attempted to negotiate with the man.

"Suspect would not engage with officers. Officers heard shot this morning and found suspect deceased as well," Norwalk Police Chief Tom Kulhawik tweeted.

Police were first dispatched at 12:32 a.m. May 1 to the unit block of Wilton Avenue, said police spokesman Lt. Terrence Blake. The complainants went to check on the welfare of Melissa Wilkinson, 33, after she didn't show up for work. They saw her lying on the floor through a window. To sign up for Norwalk breaking news alerts and more, click here.

The co-workers kicked in the door and found their co-worker dead, Blake said. They saw her father, Mark Wilkinson, 55, sitting in the apartment with a gun while mumbling to himself. They fled the area and called police.

"During the standoff, officers heard a single gunshot," Blake said. "Tactical Officers utilized a camera to observe the interior of the apartment and saw that the male was deceased."

The victim had been shot in the head.

Melissa Wilkinson was a server at South Norwalk restaurants, and Mark Wilkinson was the owner of Dynamic Martial Arts in Westport, according to the Norwalk Hour.

Police and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are investigating.

Nearby residents were taken to a Norwalk Fire Department building as police attempted to negotiate with the man.

Image via Shutterstock