Two retired San Francisco police officers and their daughter have died in a suspected murder-suicide in northern California, authorities say.
Ann Mannix, 65, and her daughter Katie, 24, are believed to have been shot dead by Kevin Mannix, 68, before he turned the gun on himself. The three bodies were found inside a home in Strawberry, a neighbourhood in Mill Valley, Marin County, on Sunday evening.
Officers' careers
Ann was formerly deputy chief of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), where her husband served as a police sergeant. The San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) confirmed the identities of the three people in a statement on Monday.
The SFPOA described Ann as "a trailblazer in our department", saying she was "the first woman to join and lead the SWAT team". Ann went on to lead both the Field Operations and Special Operations Bureaus before retiring in 2021, according to a police announcement at the time.
Investigation ongoing
The Marin County Sheriff's Office said it received a report of shots being fired shortly after 5pm local time. The person who called emergency services was inside the property at the time but managed to leave safely, authorities said.
Kevin retired from the SFPD in June 2018 after 27 years of service, according to a farewell letter published in the Taraval Station Newsletter.
The SFPOA said the deaths of Ann, Kevin and Katie "in a suspected murder-suicide" have left the entire SFPD community "reeling".
Community response
"There are no words that can fully capture the depth of this tragedy, nor are there simple answers to the painful questions we are all asking," the association said.
"To see their lives, and the life of their 24-year-old daughter Katie, end in such a horrific and senseless manner is a burden that weighs heavily on every officer, active and retired."
The sheriff's office said there is no ongoing threat to the wider community. The investigation is continuing.
