Man With Owasso Ties Kills Parents, Sisters In Phoenix Home

Five people are dead after a shooting and two fires at a Phoenix home Tuesday morning. One of the victims is Kaitlin Buckner, whose Facebook page identifies her as an Owasso resident.

"They looked like a very happy family and they would always look out for one another," described Paulina Bustamante, who was a close friend of the family.

"They always showed they cared for them as family and for other people as well."

Alex Buckner, 26, killed his father Vic Buckner, 50; his mother Kimberly Buckner, 49; his 18-year-old sister Kaitlin Buckner and his 6-year-old sister Emma Buckner, according to Sgt. Trent Crump with the Phoenix Police Department, KPHO, the CBS-affiliate in Phoenix, reports.

Crump said Alex Buckner also died in the home. Police shot him when he pointed a gun at officers.

Owasso police confirm Buckner was arrested for public intoxication and shoplifting in that city. Deputy Chief of Police Jason Woodruff said Alex Buckner was arrested after witnesses reported his being intoxicated outside a CiCi's Pizza in April of 2012. Woodruff said their reports show he had been smoking "Killer Skunk Extreme," a form of K2.

In November, 2012, he was arrested for shoplifting from an Owasso Walmart Neighborhood Market. Police say Buckner ran from the grocery store but was found hiding under a car.

"That was our last known action with him," Woodruff said.

Firefighters and police officers from Phoenix and Glendale responded to reports that a family of four had been shot at the home in the area of 47th Avenue and Cactus Road around 4:45 a.m.

"We’re getting some feedback from family members at this point on some of the problems that the suspect may have had," Crump said. "There had been some indications of drug use that they had moved out of state. There was drug abuse alleged or even some treatment that it was alleged in Oklahoma where the family had resided."

Relatives told police the Buckner family moved back to Arizona a few years ago. They knew of drug abuse in the past but they didn't suspect it now and this was completely out of character for Alex Buckner and they didn't see this coming.

The initial call came from the people inside the home who said they were being shot at, Sgt. Crump said. The caller said her brother shot her.

"You have a caller on the line who is indicating they need help and they can see people in the upper windows that are trying to get them to help them," Crump said.

Shortly before 7 a.m., police said the suspect "is down."

A team from the department's Special Assignment Unit wore self-contained breathing apparatus when they entered the home.

Officers located the suspect in a room.   

"When they went in, they were confronted by the armed suspect. He pointed a gun at one of our officers and was shot," Sgt. Crump said.

Police said the gun Buckner used to kill his family belonged to his father and had been at the home and is believed to be the only gun in the home.

They all lived in the home on Sunnyside Ave. There were no previous emergency calls to that address and no known mental health issues with the killer, according to police.