OAK FOREST, Ill. (WLS) — Two Oak Forest teens are with family after their mother and siblings were killed during a barricade and fire situation in the south suburb Friday.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office identified the victims Friday afternoon as 22-year-old Briana Rodriguez, 20-year-old Emilio Rodriguez, 43-year-old Lupe Gomez and 44-year-old Carlos Gomez.
Lupe suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and Emilio and Briana were both shot in the chest, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office released Saturday. They also said Carlos died from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The two surviving teens are 15 and 13 years old, according to their uncle Nick Navarez, and are the daughters of both Lupe and Carlos.
The uncle also shared a photo with ABC7 of Lupe with her four children, including her oldest kids Emilio and Briana.
The incident began Friday morning in the 5500-block of Ann Marie Lane, according to police.
A neighbor said he witnessed a man shooting his family members outside his home before barricading himself inside and setting the home on fire.
The man’s next-door neighbor’s Ring camera captured video of the incident. ABC7 viewed the video, which appeared to show a man shooting three people outside of the home while one runs away.
WATCH | Deadly Oak Forest shootings, fire caught on doorbell camera
Neighbors said they awoke to more than a dozen gunshots about 6:30 a.m. Oak Forest police said they initially responded to a domestic disturbance involving a report of gunfire in the area around 7 a.m.
When they arrived, police said they found two gunshot victims in the driveway and a third in the road south of the home.
Oak Forest police pulled the victims into their squad cars while the suspect was still on the scene. They were taken to local hospitals but later died from their injuries, police said.
Meanwhile, the suspect was still inside the home when police said a minor was safely evacuated to police before the fire broke out.
Neighbors said the family had lived in the home for about eight years and there was some recent history of problems there but no one imagined it would end like this.
“A normal family just like us,” neighbor Cody Wilson said. “The family was dealing with some stuff and it came to that.”
“The neighbors over there were all shocked as well,” Cheryl Wilson added. “They don’t understand what’s happened.”
One neighbor said the family had been acting strangely in recent weeks and said he heard a lot of arguing and screaming. He said police had been called to the home before.
“We just kinda sat here and watch it unfold in disbelief,” neighbor Jake Bittner said. “It’s a hell of a way to wake up.”
WATCH | Police respond to barricade situation, fire at Oak Forest home
Emergency crews were on the scene all morning and went inside to investigate once the fire was put out.
There, they found the fourth deceased person, who is believed to be the suspect. A gun was also recovered from the scene.
“We just ask that everyone pray for the family,” Wilson said.
Oak Forest High School canceled its homecoming parade Friday, citing “an ongoing incident in the community.”
After spending much of the day under a soft lockdown, students and staff soon found out that some of their own peers – old and current – were involved in the tragedy.
In fact, students said one of the surviving family members is a current student and would’ve been on the sidelines with the school’s cheerleading team.
“Everybody in this school felt for that family,’ said Oak Forest High School sophomore, Mia Earll said. “It brought everybody down! Nobody was able to really focus. All the teachers didn’t really do anything in the classes because everybody was just so sad because of what happened to this family.”
Neighbors said that at least one surviving family member is a student at Oak Forest High School. Two of those killed were alumni, Bremen High School District 228 Supt. Brad Sikora said in a written statement.
“You never know what’s happening in somebody’s house, or what they’re going through,” Earll said.
Oak Forest High School and other District 228 schools will have counselors available to meet with any student or staff member in need of support.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Ryan Burnett at the Oak Forest Police Department at 7086871376 or rburnett@oakforest.org.
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