HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) - Three people in their 80s were found dead in two homes on a suburban street in New Jersey after a man shot his wife, brother-in-law and himself, authorities said.
It's not clear what led to the shootings early Wednesday in Hasbrouck Heights, a suburb about 10 miles from New York City. The victims lived just a few homes away from each other and there was no known animosity between them, although authorities said the gunman, Angelo Talignani had shown signs of depression in the past.
Talignani went to Anthony Gentile's home around 7:30 a.m., took two guns legally owned by Gentile and shot him in his bedroom, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said.
"We don't know if there was any type of scuffle or argument," Molinelli said during a news conference. It appears, he said, that Talignani had gone to Gentile's home to get the guns, but it was not known whether he intended to shoot him there.
After Gentile was killed, Talignani went back home and shot his wife, Antoinette, as she lay in bed, Molinelli said. Talignani then killed himself.
A home health aide who had just recently moved in with the Talignanis heard the shots and called police from a neighbor's home.
Police found Gentile's body when they went to question him about the guns found at the Talignanis' home, Molinelli said.
"It's a tragedy; these people were all elderly who had known each other for a long time," Molinelli said. "These were longtime residents of Hasbrouck Heights, good families. You really never know why people do this."
Gentile lived alone, Molinelli said. Gentile's deceased wife was Antoinette Talignani's sister.