Three people, including two young children, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide at a southwest Houston hotel, according to authorities.
Houston police responded around noon Friday to a report of a shooting at the Residence Inn by Marriott Houston Medical Center/NRG Park on Kirby Drive, between Main Street and Old Spanish Trail.
According to the Houston Fire Department, a mother shot and killed her two young children before turning the gun on herself.
During a Friday afternoon briefing, Houston police said officers arrived after hotel staff requested assistance. Staff told officers a guest had been staying at the hotel since Wednesday and had not been heard from. After checking on the room, hotel employees found the door locked from the inside and used a pass key to enter, where they discovered the three victims, police said.
Houston police said the deceased were an approximately 40-year-old woman, a 9-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl. Their identities have not been released.
Police said investigators preliminarily believe the case was a murder-suicide, though the investigation remains ongoing.
According to police, investigators do not believe the shooting occurred Friday, but they have not yet determined exactly when the deaths happened.
Houston police also said the investigation appears to involve mental health issues, though officials did not provide additional details. During the briefing, the department encouraged anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or concerned about someone else to seek help through local resources, including 211 or 311.
Police said the woman is believed to have been from the Houston area.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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