Washington, Europe Brief News- A six-year-old girl and her parents have been shot dead while camping in the US state of Iowa on Sunday.
The bodies of Sarah and Tyler Schmidt, both 42, and their daughter Lula were found in their tent in the Maquoketa Caves State Park.
The couple’s nine-year-old son survived the attack, a neighbour said.
Police believe the suspected shooter, a 23-year-old man, then turned the gun on himself. His body was also found in the park.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the Maquoketa Caves State Park is an active crime scene, a statement from Mitch Mortvedt, Assistant Director of the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation, said.
“Their 9 year old son Arlo survived the attack, and is safe,” wrote Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green. “I’ve notified neighbors.”
Green said in the post that Sarah Schmidt was an employee at the Cedar Falls Public Library.
“I knew Sarah well, and she & her family were regular walkers here in the Sartori Park neighborhood. I was working with her this week on a public library tech presentation.”
Green, who described himself as “devastated” by the deaths, said that details were in the works about services and memorials.
