The gunman, who took his own life, was the father of the three children, but the shooter’s relationship to the fifth victim was not immediately known, The Associated Press reported.
Update 9 p.m. EST March 1: The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office on Tuesday identified the victims as 10-year-old Samantha Mora Gutierrez, 9-year-old Samarah Mora Gutierrez, 13-year-old Samia Mora Gutierrez, and 59-year-old Nathaniel Kong, KCRA reported.
The gunman was identified as 39-year-old David Mora Rojas, the TV station reported.
Update 11:47 p.m. EST Feb. 28: Sacramento County Sheriff told reporters at the scene that the children’s mother was not involved in the incident and was speaking with authorities, The Sacramento Bee reported, noting that she had a restraining order against the father.
Jones stated that the father was at the church Monday night for a supervised visit with the children. The fourth victim has been identified as an adult who had been supervising the visit, but it was not immediately clear if that victim was a social worker or a church employee, the Bee reported.
“The shooter came in and — what appears to be — killed the person who was supervising the visit, killed his own three children and then turned the gun on himself,” Jones said.
Original report: Sgt. Rodney Grassmann, a spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed to The Sacramento Bee that the slain children were all under the age of 15.
The shooting stemmed from a domestic incident, Grassmann told the newspaper.
“This was not a random shooting,” he said, adding that the shooter and victims “all knew each other.”
Deputies responded to the shooting just after 5 p.m. local time at the church in the Arden-Arcade neighborhood, the AP reported.
According to the Bee, the shooting resulted in a large police presence in the area just south of The Church in Sacramento, but officials have not yet confirmed that the shooting occurred at that particular place of worship.
In a tweet urging people to avoid the area, Sacramento City Councilman Eric Guerra referred to the incident as a “mass casualty shooting” at a church.
Sacramento church shooting memorials Candles and a note are part of a memorial left Tuesday, March 1, 2022, for the three young girls who were slain by their father at The Church in Sacramento, in Sacramento Calif. David Mora, who was under a restraining order and not supposed to have a gun, fatally shot his three daughters, a chaperone and himself Monday during a supervised visit with the girls. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials Ana DeJesus, right, is comforted by her daughter, Lizbeth DeJesus after placing a teddy bear and flowers on a memorial at The Church in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Authorities say a man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls at the church on Monday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials A man walks by flowers and a note by The Church in Sacramento, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, the scene of a murder-suicide where a man shot and killed his three daughters and their chaperone Monday, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials The entrance to the parking lot at The Church in Sacramento, Calif., is shown on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls Monday at the church authorities said. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials Yadira Ortega lights candles outside The Church in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. A man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls Monday at the church authorities said. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials Ana DeJesus, right, places a teddy bear on a growing memorial at The Church in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. At left, Vera Cruz waits to leave flowers and balloons. Authorities say a man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls at the church on Monday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials A memorial for the three young girls, who were slain by their father at The Church in Sacramento, is seen outside the church in Sacramento Calif., Tuesday, March 1, 2022. David Mora, who was under a restraining order and not supposed to have a gun, fatally shot his three daughters, a chaperone and himself Monday during a supervised visit with the girls. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials A teddy bear, balloons and flowers are among the items left at growing memorial at The Church in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Authorities say a man shot and killed his three daughters, their chaperone and himself during a supervised visit with the girls at the church on Monday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
Sacramento church shooting memorials Two men hug in the parking lot at The Church in Sacramento, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, the scene of a murder-suicide, Monday, where a man shot and killed his three daughters and their chaperone in Sacramento, Calif., (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)