Oklahoma father 'hunted' his own family, left one child, 10, alive: 'Nothing short of a massacre'
Jonathon Candy, 42, fatally shot his wife and three sons in an Oklahoma suburb, police said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
A 10-year-old child woke up after his father "hunted" down his older brothers and mom in a disturbing murder-suicide inside a suburban Oklahoma home, police said.
Jonathon Candy, 42, had an argument with his wife, Lindsay, which spiraled out of control. He grabbed a gun and fatally shot his wife "multiple times" and "systematically went through the home shooting the children," Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Gary Knight said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Responding officers found the 10-year-old outside alive, but his brothers — Dylan, 18, Ethan, 14, and Lucas, 12 — were all killed before Jonathan turned the gun on himself, according to police.
"Make no mistake. What happened in that residence was nothing short of a massacre," Knight said during a Tuesday press conference. "The children were hunted down and killed."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jonathan Candy had an argument with his wife, Lindsay, and killed her and three of their four sons before turning the gun on himself, according to Oklahoma City police. (Facebook)
The Candy Family issued a statement to news outlets.
"Our entire family has been left shattered and confused with so many questions we won’t ever have answers to," the family said. "Jonathon was the one whose jokes and goofy attitude kept everyone smiling.
"Aside from these events, his children and wife were his entire life. I simply can’t fathom what went on but please, hug your family tight. It’s going to be a very long healing process for everyone affected."
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Unfathomable confusion shrouded the murders for hours after responding officers found the dead family Monday morning and a 10-year-old boy outside the house.
Knight described the scene inside the Yukon, Oklahoma, home as "carnage."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It remains a mystery as to what caused Mr. Candy to murder his wife and three of his children," according to police, which said there were no previous domestic incidents at the Yukon, Oklahoma home, a suburb of Oklahoma City.
"Make no mistake. What happened in that residence was nothing short of a massacre … The children were hunted down and killed."
A father killed his wife and three sons in a murder-suicide in this home in Yukon, Okla. (Google Street View)
It's even more puzzling why he left his youngest child alive. "It's something we'll never know," Knight said.
Edgar Felix, a neighbor to the Candy family, told KOCO News 5, a local ABC affiliate, that it's "mind-blowing. In a house too, no less."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It makes you wonder what kind of activity happened in that house," Felix said.
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Two of the victims were current students in the Mustang Public School District, and the oldest son graduated last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}School Superintendent Charles Bradley said, "We are shocked, and our hearts are broken; this tragedy simply defies understanding."
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"It is with a very heavy heart that I share some very sad news with all of you," Bradley said in a statement on Monday. "We confirmed that a tragedy occurred at a home within our District, and we can now confirm the deaths of two of our students (a 6th-grade student attending Meadow Brook Intermediate and a 9th-grade student attending Mustang High School) along with a recent (2023) MPS graduate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"While this has been a very difficult year for the MPS Family, both students and adults may struggle with managing their feelings and reactions to this news."
Two victims of a murder suicide in an Oklahoma suburb were students in the Mustang Public School District, and another victim graduated from high school last year. (Mustang Public School District )
Bradley said the district organized a crisis response team and urged parents to monitor their children's behavior, even if they didn't know the victims.
"Feelings of anger, hurt, guilt and sadness are natural," he said. "Common grief reactions include sleep disturbances, temporary loss of appetite, anxiety and fears about the health and safety of friends and family.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Some suggestions for dealing with your child’s questions and concerns include: Listen to your children and let them know that you are available to answer questions and be there for them at any time. Encourage your children to express their feelings and talk about your own feelings."
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The school district listed resources, including this website to help with these difficult conversations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As the greater Mustang school community processes this news, we would like you to know that students of Mustang Public Schools have access to counseling support," he said. "To utilize these services, students/families should simply contact their school counselor or administrator.
"We are here to help and partner with you. This is a difficult time for everyone, but I know our students and staff will lean on each other through this time."