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News / Clark County News

Five family members killed in apparent murder-suicide at Orchards home, say Clark County deputies

By Jessica Prokop, Columbian Local News Editor
Published: December 3, 2023, 9:59pm
3 Photos
Five people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Orchards, according to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, as seen Monday morning, Dec. 4, 2023.
Five people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Orchards, according to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, as seen Monday morning, Dec. 4, 2023. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian) Photo Gallery

Five family members were fatally shot in an apparent murder-suicide Sunday afternoon at an Orchards home.

Authorities did not release the identities of the deceased. But Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Skidmore said all were adults, including the apparent shooter.

Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded at 1:06 p.m. for a welfare check in the 11500 block of Northeast 92nd Street. The home is in a residential neighborhood near Orchards Highlands Neighborhood Park, north of the Clark Public Utilities Operations Center and Padden Parkway.

Someone had called to say they had received a text message from a family member stating he had harmed others at the residence, according to the sheriff’s office.

Orchards shooting

From left to right: Stuart Rouse, 64, Melissa Rouse, 19, Cristina Rouse, 63, and Kristina Rouse, 33. The family, along with Eric Rouse, 57, were identified by relatives as those killed Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide in Orchards.‘Our hearts are shattered’: Five dead in apparent murder-suicide in Orchards identified as Rouse family
Family members confirmed the Rouse family as the five people killed Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide at an Orchards home.
Clark County sheriff&rsquo;s Sgt. Chris Skidmore speaks to members of the media after five people died in an apparent murder-suicide Sunday at a home in Orchards, as seen Monday afternoon.Orchards murder-suicide among 41 mass killings in the United States since January, according to AP
Two more mass killings happened in the United States on Sunday in Texas and Washington.
Five people are dead after an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Orchards, according to the Clark County Sheriff's Office.Take care of yourself, check on neighbors after tragedies
Tragedies within a community can elicit a wide range of emotions from residents.
Abe Lepak speaks to the media after five people were killed Sunday in an apparent murder-suicide in his Orchards neighborhood, according to the Clark County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office, as seen Monday morning.Shooter kills wife, adult daughters and brother before turning gun on himself in apparent murder-suicide in Orchards
A man shot his wife, their two adult daughters and his adult brother before turning the gun on himself, leaving five dead Sunday in an…

Responding deputies tried to contact the residents, they said, but were unsuccessful.

“Based on the information about harm to others, possible firearm involvement and being unable to reach any of the family members in the home, patrol requested the assistance of the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Deputies deployed an unmanned aircraft system inside the home and found several people who appeared to be dead. SWAT members and Tactical Emergency Support medics then entered the home and confirmed that five people were dead, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators said they don’t believe there is a threat to the public. Although the investigation is ongoing, the incident appears to be a murder-suicide involving a firearm, the news release states.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is investigating.

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