3 bodies found, 3 others presumed dead in East Lansdowne fire: DA
EAST LANSDOWNE, Pa. - Authorities found partial human remains and a rifle in the charred ruins of a Delaware County home where a shooting that injured two officers turned into a fire.
District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer confirmed six family members, including the suspect, are presumed dead.
Authorities found three bodies in the house; one is believed to be the suspected shooter, another an "innocent victim" and the third body was a child.
District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said the home belonged to the Le family, and investigators believe three children and three adults were inside during the fire.
Investigators, who have painstakingly combed through the charred wreckage, found a torso and a rifle.
3 children among 6 unaccounted for in East Lansdowne fire; human remains, gun recovered
Authorities in Delaware County say three adults and three children are still unaccounted for after Wednesday's fire in East Lansdowne and that human remains and a gun have been recovered. Officers who were shot while responding to a report of a shooting at the home are expected to be released from the hospital Thursday.
They believe the suspect got into an argument with one of the children before he shot them.
The suspect lived in the home with his parents, brother, sister-in-law and their three children.
It is believed that the Les' brother and the children’s uncle was the suspected gunman.
According to officials, the grandparents said they saw their son do it and left the house. Investigators believe the grandfather called 911.
Recovery efforts were halted Thursday night at the site and will resume Friday.
"Everyone who was in the house during the fire is presumed dead at this point," Stollsteimer told reporters outside Penn Presbyterian Hospital Thursday afternoon.
Sources and property records have identified the victims as Xuong Le, 40, his wife Britni McLoughlin Le, 37, and their three children aged 17, 13, and 10.
The children killed were students at the William Penn School District.
"This is a real tragedy the William Penn School District that East Lansdowne is part of," said Pennsylvania Senator Timothy Kearney. He joined local lawmakers during a press conference and shared what they have learned about the kids. "We understand that there were three children in the house who live there. One in elementary school, one in middle school," said Senator Kearney.
The district released a statement, which reads, in part:
"Like all of you, we are at a loss regarding the horrific tragedy that happened in East Lansdowne. Our focus now is providing support to our students and staff."
All-day Thursday, crews undertook the heart-wrenching task of sifting through the debris in search of the missing family members.
Identification of the victims will rely on dental records, according to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, who expressed a commitment to providing closure for the grieving family.
"What we are in the process of doing right now is trying to give the family closure by recovering the bodies so we’ve got halfway there," said Stollsteimer.
The news comes as Officer David Schiazza, who was shot in the leg while responding to the Darby home, was being released from the hospital.
Schiazza, a 22-year member of the Lansdowne Police Department, and Officer John Meehan were both shot outside the home on Lewis Avenue Wednesday afternoon.
Meehan, 44, was struck in the left arm and required "lengthy surgery" and treatment, according to officials. He is expected to be released Thursday night or Friday.
Officers initially responded to the property Wednesday afternoon to reports of an 11-year-old shot, and quickly came under fire from a shooter at the home.
It's unknown what sparked a fire inside the house that soon engulfed the entire property and burned it to the ground.
Lansdowne neighborhood reacts to house fire, shooting that left 2 officers injured: "It was chaos"
A Delaware County neighborhood is in disbelief after a house fire and shooting left two police officers injured and six to eight people unaccounted for Wednesday.
The tragedy left the community on edge, causing evacuations, school lockdowns and closed roads.
"I heard it when it happened, and I went back in the house. I came back outside, and it was chaos," one resident said.
The community and everyone is feeling this. We were watching it live while it was happening," said Dr. Monica Taylor, Chair of the Delaware County Council as she reflected on the collective shock and grief gripping the neighborhood.
Neighbors and friends are remembering the victims, stopped by Lewis Avenue with offerings of stuffed animals and signs.
Samantha Bryson, a close friend of the Le family, struggled to come to terms with the loss.
"They were awesome. They were really good people, and I trusted them with my daughter," Bryson recalled. "I’m just still in shock. You don’t think something like that should happen to anybody, especially somebody you know."
Investigators are still trying to find out the motive behind the initial shooting and the ignition of the fatal fire.
They are preparing to resume their search for additional victims Friday.
However, a comprehensive understanding of the events that transpired inside the residence may take weeks to unravel.
Officials say they hope to piece evidence together to bring closure to the family, but believe they may never know the full story.