Six people were killed inside their own homes in two Florida communities on Tuesday, as police say a suspect carried out the two deadly attacks between cities before taking his own life.
Police believe the attacks began on Tuesday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, where officers doing a welfare check discovered two people dead inside a home in the Victoria Park neighbourhood.
The victims were later identified as Larisa Blyudaya and Ben Azivov.
Investigators say the suspect, Russell Kot, had previously been in a romantic relationship with one of the victims, as per ABC News.
Hours later, deputies in Sarasota County responded to reports of gunfire at a gated community in the Amberlea neighbourhood.
Four people were found dead at the scene. One man had been shot while approaching the front door, while two women and another man were found inside the home, according to the sheriff’s office.
Kot was also found dead inside the property.
Authorities said surveillance footage showed his vehicle entering the neighbourhood around 11am, followed shortly by the sound of gunshots captured on a neighbour’s Ring camera.
As investigators in both cities worked to identify the victims, police realised the two crime scenes could be linked.
The suspect’s car had been recorded travelling between Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota before the killings.
The county’s sheriff office said one of the Fort Lauderdale victims had connections to the people killed in Sarasota, though officials did not provide further details.
Police believe Kot carried out both attacks before taking his own life. The investigation is ongoing.
