A man who allegedly shot dead his wife and three of their children had been stalking his estranged partner after she filed for divorce, it has been claimed.
Authorities believe José Valdivia, 31, is believed to have murdered Sabrina Rosario, 29, and three of their four children – sons Enzie, 3; Zuriel, 5 and Zeth, 11 – before turning the gun on himself on Saturday in San Diego.
A fourth child, 9-year-old Ezekiel, was seriously injured and was in a critical condition as of Saturday evening after undergoing emergency surgery, family members said.
Now Jocelyn Rosario has claimed her sister Sabrina had filed for divorce from José, but it had not been finalized.
She told NBC7 he had been stalking his wife and telling her he had suicidal thoughts.
Sabrina Rosario, 29, had filed for divorce from José Valdivia, 31, before he allegedly shot her dead
Three-year-old Enzie Valdivia was died at the scene after being shot on Saturday
Eleven-year-old Zeth Valdivia died in hospital, family members told NBC7
Zuriel Valdivia, five, also died in hospital from his injuries, family members said
Jocelyn also alleged that José had been stalking Sabrina, and had sent her photographs of a gun and alcohol.
Police said the shooting occurred less than 24 hours after Sabrina got a restraining order against him, according to the New York Times. The pair had been childhood sweethearts.
The San Diego Police Department said the shooting occurred in Flintridge Drive in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of San Diego, California, Saturday morning, according to Fox 5.
Police said they received a call at 6.49am Saturday, but nobody spoke to the dispatcher. Arguing could be heard in the background.
Police said that a second 911 call was made by a neighboring relative, who was calling to report the arguing and what apparently sounded like a nail gun being fired within the home.
When officers arrived, nobody answered the door.
Ezekiel, 9, is in a critical condition in hospital, family members said
Authorities are seen here at the home where police said a man fatally shot his wife and three of their four children, before turning the gun on himself Saturday morning in San Diego
One of the shooting victims is shown here being wheeled out of the home on a gurney
The shooting happened in Flintridge Drive in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of San Diego (pictured). Authorities are shown here cordoning off the area
Officers then looked through the window and saw a child covered in blood, prompting them to break into the property. Inside, they found the five people who had been shot.
Three-year-old Enzie, as well as his mother Sabrina and father José had died at the scene of the horrific shooting, while Zuriel, five, and Zeth, 11, died in hospital, NBC7 reported.
SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs told reporters that the incident ‘appears to be a tragic case of domestic violence, murder-suicide.’
Dobbs said that investigators believed that ‘the male came over this morning, there was some kind of argument or disagreement and he used a hand gun and shoot his family before turning the gun upon himself.’
Police said during a press conference Saturday that officers had responded to the Flintridge Drive address earlier in November, where they found the estranged couple arguing over a set of tools.
Authorities are seen here Saturday at the home where an estranged husband was said to have killed his wife and three of his children
Police (seen Saturday) said that they had previously responded to the home and found the wife and estranged husband arguing over tools, but that the husband left when police arrived
The man was said to have been asking the woman for the tools, but left when officers arrived. Police then said that they gave the woman information on how to file a restraining order.
Police said the woman appeared to have secured her restraining order on Friday and that the man knew that she had done so before carrying out the murder-suicide.
It’s unclear if the restraining order had been served, however.
Police said José is the only suspect in the case and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting.
The home is just a block away from the elementary school.
For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255