Crime & Safety

Teen, 4-Year-Old Sibling Escape Apparent Oxford Murder-Suicide

The 13-year-old jumped out a window with the sibling Tuesday night when gunshots rang out at the Oxford home.

OXFORD, MA — Two children jumped out a window to safety when gunshots rang out during an apparent murder-suicide at an Oxford home on Tuesday evening, according to authorities.

The incident happened close to 5:30 p.m. at a home along Old Webster Road when a woman living there called 911. A man living at the home also called police at about the same time.

The man then apparently then shot and killed the woman. A 13-year-old in the home grabbed a 4-year-old sibling and fled to a neighbor's house. A 3-year-old child was still in the home after the man apparently committed suicide, but was not physically harmed, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said during a news conference.

All three children were transferred to state custody, where they received care for experiencing the trauma, Early said.

Both victims in the murder-suicide had gun licenses, Early said. Authorities could not immediately say whether there had been previous domestic violence incidents at the home.