U.S. mum shoots dead four kids then kills herself U.S. mum shoots dead four kids then kills herself A mother shot and killed her four chil...

U.S. mum shoots dead four kids then kills herself

U.S. mum shoots dead four kids then kills herself

A mother shot and killed her four children before turning a gun on herself in a small town in Florida.

The victims, aged 12, 13, 15 and 17, were shot by their 33-year-old mother Tonya Thomas at their house in Brevard County - 15 miles from Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre.

A neighbour told police that three of the children had banged on his door shortly before 5am on Tuesday before Thomas ordered them home.

Shortly afterward police were called after reports of gunfire.

Police spokesman Tod Goodyear said when officers arrived they found a 17-year-old girl lying in the front garden of the house. She was declared dead at the scene.

More shots were then heard from inside the house as an armed response unit arrived.

Mr Goodyear added: "They heard shots as the Swat team arrived, they put together two entry teams, entered the residence through the back, I believe back sliding door area of the residence and, in clearing the residence, found four persons fatally wounded inside."

It was the worst multiple homicide Goodyear could recall in Brevard County since a shooting in 1987 claimed six lives, including those of two police officers.

Police had been called to the house on several occasions in the past and the 15-year-old child, a boy, was arrested last month for domestic violence against his mother.

Thomas' husband, the father of all of the children, moved out of the house a few months ago, Mr Goodyear said.

Tuesday's incident was the second deadly shooting in Port St John in the past week. Brevard County was the scene of six murders in 2011.

(Agencies)