Parents and 12-year-old son found shot dead in Massachusetts home

Police say Andrew Robinson killed his wife and son before turning the gun on himself

A father shot dead his wife and 12-year-old son before killing himself in an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Andover, Massachusetts, early on Thursday morning, authorities say.

Police responded to a 911 call from inside the home at 3.20am and had to break down two doors to force their way into the property on Porter Rd, Essex County Attorney Paul Tucker said in a statement.

Mr Tucker said the deceased had been identified as Andrew Robinson, 56, his wife Linda, 55, and their 12-year-old son Sebastian.

“The incident appears to be a tragic case of domestic violence and murder-suicide,” Mr Tucker said.

“This entire situation was contained at the address here,” Mr Tucker told reporters at the scene earlier on Thursday.

“I think this is also a very good time to remind folks that if they are suffering from any type of mental health issues, any type of depression, that services are out there.”

Sebastian was a sixth grade student at the $31,000 a year Catholic boys school St. John’s Prep in Danvers, authorities said. Classes at the school had been cancelled for the day.

Mr Tucker also spoke of the “difficulties” faced by first responders at murder scenes.

“We only need to look back at the last couple of weeks in Massachusetts,” he said, in reference to the deaths of three young children in Duxbury late last month. “These can take an emotional toll as well.”

Massachusetts State Police is assisting with the investigation.