73-year-old Tanh Thien Tran is suspected of stabbing his 11-year-old stepdaughter to death early Wednesday, reports ABC7 News.
In Garden Grove, California, police arrived at the home on a report of domestic violence, where they found a 36-year-old woman with stab and gunshot wounds in front of the house. She notified police that her three children were inside the home, along with her husband Tran.
Officers found Tran in the home’s rear patio area. “He was armed with a knife at the time and was threatening to hurt himself,” said Garden Grove Police Department Lt. Carl Whitney, reports the Los Angeles Times. “He was also suffering from some self-inflicted stab wounds.”
As some officers attempted to negotiate with Tran, other officers were able to sneak across the room while he was distracted to pull the wounded 11-year-old girl outside, where they began to perform life-saving measures. Officers also retrieved the two sons from the home, where they were found unharmed.
According to police, Tran is stepfather to the 11-year-old female victim and the 6-year-old boy and is the biological father of the 3-year old boy.
Officers used nonlethal bean-bag rounds to subdue Tran. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for his wounds, described as superficial, and was taken into custody.
The 11 year old was taken to a local hospital, where she later died.
The 36-year-old mother was listed in stable condition at a local trauma center, and the sons were taken to child services.
Motives are currently unknown, but police believe it to be domestic violence related. “We’re talking to neighbors to find out some back history to find out what happened out there,” said Whitney.
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