Death of two children, father at home in Northland ruled it a murder-suicide

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A father shot and killed his two children before taking them away his own life at home last week in Northland, police said Tuesday.

The incident occurred at a home at 1000 NW 91st Terrace.

Police said on the night of the incident, police responded to the home for a welfare check because there was smoke coming from the window.

When the officers arrived, they noticed smoke in the apartment and tried to enter.

The fire spread, so officers withdrew and called fire crews, who quickly extinguished the fire.

After returning inside, police found 6-year-old Charlotte Hatcher and 8-year-old Jeffrey Hatcher suffering from gunshot wounds. The siblings died as a result of gunshot wounds.

Their father and the suspect in the case, Zachary Hatcher, also died in the crash.

Siblings both were students at Pathfinder Elementary in the Platte County R-3 School District.

As previously confirmed, Jeffrey was a second-grader and Charlotte was a kindergartener.

Police said their deaths were being investigated as a murder-suicide.

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