Los Angeles police have identified 10-year-old twins Joseph and Greysen Chavez as the children killed in a murder-suicide allegedly carried out by their father at an apartment complex in Canoga Park.
Authorities said the shooting happened late Sunday evening while a birthday gathering was underway at the residence. The twins’ father, a 37-year-old man, also died at the scene. His name has not yet been released by police.
Incident
Police responded to reports of gunfire around 7:15 p.m. at an apartment complex in the Canoga Park area of Los Angeles. Witnesses told officers that several people were present for what appeared to be a birthday celebration.
When officers arrived, they discovered the bodies of the twin boys and their father inside a bedroom. All three had suffered gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
Authorities said there were no immediate reports of injuries to anyone else at the gathering.
Victims
The victims were identified as Joseph and Greysen Chavez, both 10 years old. Neighbors described the boys as kind and well-liked in the community.
Angela Figueroa, who lives nearby, said she heard noise from the gathering earlier in the day but did not hear gunshots.
“I was home all day. I heard them throwing a party and I thought it’s their usual thing,” she told NBC affiliate KNBC. “They were sweet little boys. They didn’t deserve that.”
Figueroa said she had seen the twins with their mother earlier that morning and said the neighborhood remains in shock.
Investigation
Police said the twins’ father is believed to have shot the children before taking his own life. Investigators have not established a motive, and no prior details about domestic issues or calls for service at the residence have been released.
Los Angeles police Capt. Mike Bland described the incident as a devastating tragedy.
“It’s a horrible, tragic situation,” Bland said, noting it followed another recent murder-suicide involving a family elsewhere in Los Angeles.
The investigation remains ongoing as detectives review evidence and interview witnesses.
Recent Context
The Canoga Park case comes just over a week after another family murder-suicide in Los Angeles County. On May 27, authorities say 29-year-old Marine Basmajian fatally shot her husband, Khajad Basmajian, 31, and their two children, Alec, 2, and Ella, who was just days old, before killing herself at the family’s home in North Hills.
The medical examiner ruled the deaths in that case as gunshot wounds to the head. While no official motive was released, a neighbor told the Los Angeles Times that postpartum depression may have played a role.
Both cases have renewed attention on family violence and mental health resources in the region.
Support
Police urged anyone experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of harming themselves or others to seek help. Resources such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are available nationwide.
Authorities said more information about the Canoga Park investigation will be released as it becomes available.
FAQs
Who were the victims?
Twin brothers Joseph and Greysen Chavez, both 10.
Where did the shooting happen?
At an apartment complex in Canoga Park.
When were police called?
Around 7:15 p.m. Sunday.
Has a motive been released?
No motive has been established.
Was anyone else injured?
No other injuries were reported.
