A 14-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly murdering his parents and attempting to kill his sister, police said.
The boy, whose identity will not be released due to being a minor, was arrested after allegedly using “multiple weapons” to attack his family at their home in Miramonte, California, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said.
Investigators said the 14-year-old called 911 on 27 December and said an intruder had broken into his family’s home, attacked his mom and dad and fled in a pickup truck.
When officers arrived at the family’s home they found two bodies, identified as the boy’s father Lue Yang and mother Se Vang, both 37, and an 11-year-old girl in critical condition.
A fifth family member, a seven-year-old brother of the suspect, was also found at the home. He was not harmed, and is currently with other family members.
Sheriff Zanoni said officers found inconsistencies in the teen’s story of the break-in, and deputies established he had fabricated the story, leading to his arrest on 29 December.
The suspect’s sister was taken to hospital. Due to the severity of her injuries, it was unclear if she would survive the ambulance ride, but she is now expected to survive, according to officials.
“The tragedy of this situation is of such a high magnitude,” Sheriff Zanoni said during a press conference.
“When individuals live in rural areas of Fresno County, like up here in the mountains, those individuals tend to have weapons readily available, whether it’s knives, firearms, things like that for self-protection,” he added. “Many people hunt. So it’s not uncommon for weapons to be readily available. Unfortunately, in this case, they were in the hands of a 14-year-old who used them in a very violent manner.”
He also encouraged parents to check in with their children and be aware of their mental state.
According to the sheriff’s department, police had no prior contact with the family or teenage boy at this address. The investigation is still ongoing, with interviews being conducted into the boy’s behavior at school.
A motive for the alleged attacks is not yet known.
The 14-year-old was booked into Juvenile Hall, according to the sheriff’s department, and is facing two charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder.
