A man, went on a violent shooting rampage, killing his estranged wife, her daughter and three other kids, days after the woman had warned a court about him possessing “50 to 60 guns” and was afraid he would “get drunk and shoot me.”
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s officials, speaking to TV station Local 3, said that 48-year-old Gary Barnett, who was the owner of the house in Marion County where the shooting took place, was among the three adults who were rescued from the home that was on fire.
Sheriff Bo Burnett said that Barnett, who was working in the machine tool industry, had shot and killed his wife Regina along with her daughter Britney and two of her grandchildren. Then, the man turned the gun on himself.
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‘He will get drunk and shoot me’
Regina, who was working at the Seymour handle factory, had earlier filed for a restraining order against her estranged husband around a month ago, as per the court records.
In the documents submitted to the court, Regina had written, “My soon to be (ex) husband threatened to shoot me and he verbally abuses me every day. He also threatened to shoot my dog.”
He added, “He also has anywhere from 50 to 60 guns in his room. I am afraid he will get drunk and shoot me.”
House set alight amid shooting
Another adult, who remains unnamed, was found inside the home which was set on fire at some point of time during the shooting, also suffered injuries and was flown to a local hospital.
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Local reports stated that the surviving adult, who was not identified, suffered many gunshot wounds, stated the local reports. The names and ages of the three children were not revealed by the police.
Sheriff Burnett confirmed that the two of the minors who were killed were Regina’s grandchildren.
“It’s a domestic situation, evidently that has been ongoing for a pretty good while,” said Sheriff Burnett, while speaking to WTVC NewsChannel 9.
Initially, the deputies reached the residence after they were informed of a possible shooting, but on reaching the scene, they found the house fully engulfed in flames.
A “no contact order” was approved by a judge against Barnett, in which he was asked to stay away from his wife. The order was still in effect when the shooting occurred.
The authorities are making autopsy reports on all the victims and Barnett in Nashville.
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