A mother who killed her husband, two young children, and then herself has been identified in a horrific shooting that has left a Los Angeles neighbourhood heartbroken.
Details of the Incident
Marine Basmajian, 29, shot and killed her husband Khajag Basmajian, 31, their two-year-old son Alec, and their six-day-old daughter Ella before turning the gun on herself. The incident occurred at around 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, May 27, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
Officers rushed to the family's home in North Hills, valued at approximately £619,010, after neighbours reported hearing gunshots. The motive behind the catastrophic event remains unclear.
Community Reaction
Neighbour Karen Banuelos expressed the community's devastation, telling the Los Angeles Times: "It's so depressing, it's so devastating for everyone. To get possessed to do that? It's just, there's no words."
Banuelos recalled hearing a commotion but did not recognise the sounds as gunfire at the time. She saw police officers arrive from her window and witnessed a family member running out of the house in tears. She learned what had happened after the children's grandfather spoke to another neighbour.
Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said they never saw the family fighting. They noted seeing Khajag taking out the rubbish at around 7 p.m., roughly an hour before the shots rang out, while they walked their dog.
Paula Smith, another local resident, said she had no idea what was happening at the time. "We live a few blocks away and we heard all the helicopters last night. We didn't know what was going on," she told the local news outlet through tears. "But to wake up this morning and to hear about this and these kids, it's really heartbreaking. So go home and love the people you love. If someone is hurting, please reach out. Don't be ashamed."
Remembering the Victims
A GoFundMe page created after the deaths remembered Marine as a doting mother. The fundraiser stated: "Marine was a caring mother and wife who found comfort in organisation and enjoyed gatherings among her loved ones."
Her husband Khajag, a Staff Cloud Platform Engineer at BlackLine, was remembered as a "devoted husband, loving father, cherished son, brother, and friend." The tribute read: "To know him is to love him. With a beaming smile on his face and a positive outlook on life, he was truly a friend you could count on."
The page added that two-year-old Alec was excited to welcome his new baby sister. "Alec brought joy and laughter wherever he went. With his bright smile and cheerful eyes taking after his father, he loved his toy vehicles and getting a taste for life one bite at a time (ice cream was his favorite). Alec couldn't wait to meet his baby sister Ella who only lived to see the world Earth side for 6 days," the fundraiser detailed.
The tragedy has left the community in shock, with many calling for increased mental health support and urging anyone in distress to seek help.
