Wife dead, husband critically injured in Graham domestic shooting

Editor's note: This story has been edited to reflect a change in the genders of the children and the father's employment status.

A woman is dead and her husband hospitalized in extremely critical condition after what a sheriff’s spokesman called an attempted murder-suicide at their Graham home.

A 4-year-old boy called 911 shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday to say his parents were on the floor after a problem at the house in the 19400 block of 91st Avenue East, said Ed Troyer, spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators learned the man, 36, a former member of the military recently released from the VA, is believed to have killed his wife, 32, before using his handgun to shoot himself. Troyer declined to give the names of either but said it is likely the man will also die from his injuries. He was taken by ambulance to the St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s office could not be reached Saturday.

The couple’s three children — a 5-year-old boy, the 4 year old and a 6-month-old girl — were home but unharmed, Troyer said. All three are in the care of relatives, Troyer said.

This story was originally published April 23, 2016 at 1:06 PM with the headline "Wife dead, husband critically injured in Graham domestic shooting."