A father shot dead his ex-wife and her husband on his son's 12th birthday in a murder-suicide in Queens, New York, police said. The suspect, identified as James Shields, 39, a physiotherapist, opened fire at his home in Astoria on Monday evening.
The victims were Linda Olthof, 47, the boy's mother, and her current partner. Shields also killed his six-year-old son, James Jr., before turning the gun on himself. The four bodies were found in a small room in the apartment.
Shields had been locked in a custody battle with Olthof, who lived in the Netherlands. He complained online that she only allowed him to see his son for two weeks a year. In April, he launched a GoFundMe appeal for $30,000 to fund his custody fight, but received no donations.
Police said Shields used two legally purchased Glock pistols and had 70 rounds of ammunition in two magazines. A suicide note was found, in which he wrote: 'I had a perfect life, and now it’s all screwed up.'
