Man dressed as Santa kills six family members at Texas home

2011-12-27 07:11:54 GMT+7 (ICT)

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- A man dressed as Santa Claus shot and killed six of his family members at a home in Texas on Christmas Day, police said on Monday. He then turned the gun on himself.

The apparent murder-suicide occurred at the Lincoln Vineyards Apartments living complex on Hall-Johnston Road in Grapevine, a Dallas suburb. The bodies of seven people, four women and three men, were found inside along with two handguns.

Police forced their way into the home after receiving a 911 call during which nothing was said, although it was not clear if the recording may have contained the sounds of gunshots. The bodies were found lying in the middle of newly opened gifts and a Christmas tree.

Grapevine police Lt. Todd Dearing said that some of the victims were seated on furniture while others were slumped on the floor, indicating the family was in the midst of opening their Christmas presents. The identities of the victims or the shooter were not immediately released, but their ages were 15, 19, 22, 55, 56, 58 and 59.

News of the tragedy rocked the city, which was recently proclaimed the "Christmas Capital of Texas" by the state's Senate. "This is obviously a terrible tragedy," said Mayor William Tate, as quoted by MSNBC.com. "The fact that it happened on Christmas makes it even more tragic."

Police said the gunman was dressed as Santa Claus and found no signs of forced entry into the home, but the motive behind the killings remains unknown. Reports indicate the gunman had recently split up with a woman and had financial problems, with their home sold in 2010 at a foreclosure auction.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-12-27

Sickening!

Sickening!

What is sick is the "google" ads that appear on this page. Showing a nice tranquil warm cozy big house. Disgusting piece of automated advertising.

Not to be disrespectful or flip, but I don't really see how a mass murder happening on a major holiday can possibly be "more tragic" than a mass murder happening on any old day. An event like this maxes out on the tragedy meter without any added frills needed.

Edited December 27, 201114 yr by Jingthing

An off-topic post has been deleted.

More on the story, it looks for all the world like an honour killing to me.

The first pictures emerged today of seven people gunned down as they opened their presents on Christmas morning by an estranged husband and father wearing a Santa suit.

Aziz Yazdanpanah, who had separated from his wife in March, is believed to have opened fire at an apartment in Grapevine, Dallas - just after the family opened their gifts - killing seven people including his children and wife before turning the gun on himself.

Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz1hmxV8Hyg

From another source I read the father was a control freak who checked his daughters mobile phone records and nailed the bedroom window shut, that's before he became estranged from his wife. He then turned up at their home dressed as Santa Claus and murdered the entire family, all because he disapproved of his daughter choosing a boyfriend from a different culture.

Edited December 28, 201114 yr by Steely Dan

More on the story, it looks for all the world like an honour killing to me.

The first pictures emerged today of seven people gunned down as they opened their presents on Christmas morning by an estranged husband and father wearing a Santa suit.

Aziz Yazdanpanah, who had separated from his wife in March, is believed to have opened fire at an apartment in Grapevine, Dallas - just after the family opened their gifts - killing seven people including his children and wife before turning the gun on himself.

Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz1hmxV8Hyg

From another source I read the father was a control freak who checked his daughters mobile phone records and nailed the bedroom window shut, that's before he became estranged from his wife. He then turned up at their home dressed as Santa Claus and murdered the entire family, all because he disapproved of his daughter choosing a boyfriend from a different culture.

Why, because of the surname?

Just another jilted husband going nuts.

Why, because of the surname?

Just another jilted husband going nuts.

No, there's more, much more. The surname is Persian incidentally.

http://www.mail.com/935704-authorities-identify-dead-christmas-shootings.html

From the above link. The father forbid the wife from working, but then he became unemployed so she took two jobs. The classmates of the girl murdered told how the father was a strict authoritarian who forbid her to have boyfriends but the daughter secretly dated a boy from another school. The evidence points to honour killing though the press wouldn't dare spell it out.