Springfield Man Fatally Shoots Wife, Her Brother Before Killing Himself: Police

SPRINGFIELD, VA — A day after three people were found shot to death in the basement of a home in Springfield, Fairfax County police said Friday they believe the shootings were a case of murder-suicide.

A man shot his wife and her brother before shooting himself inside the home in the 8500 block of Wild Spruce Drive, police said Friday. The family nanny and a 2-year-old child were inside the home on the upper level at the time of the shooting and were found uninjured.

Around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday, Fairfax County police officers went to the home where the family’s housekeeper had found Meskerem Belachew Solomon, 38, Amanuel Belachew Solomon, 31, and Tiku Berhane Gebreeyesus, 47, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the upper body in the home’s basement.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel declared the three people dead at the scene.

Detectives believe Gebreeyesus shot his wife, Meskerem, and her brother, Amanuel, before shooting himself, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. A gun was recovered in the basement, police said.

Police said they are continuing to conduct interviews and review evidence to understand the circumstances that led to the shooting. Victim specialists from the police department have been assigned to ensure the family is receiving appropriate resources and assistance.

Along with the 2-year-old, two other juveniles live at the house but were not at home when the shootings occurred, police said. The three children are in the custody of family and friends.

Neighbors told NBC4 that the family moved into the home a little over a year ago.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will be completing autopsies to confirm the manner and cause of death, police said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the FCPD’s Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web. Tipsters are eligible for cash rewards, police said.

If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online.

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