Mother, three daughters found shot and killed in Illinois home, cops say. ‘Massacre’

A man was arrested in the fatal shooting of a mother and her three daughters, according to Illinois authorities.

The shooting happened at 11:20 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at a home in Tinley Park, Pat Carr, the Tinley Park Village manager, said in a news briefing streamed by WLS.

A man called 911 stating someone was shot in the Chicago-area home, Carr said. When first responders arrived, they found the bodies of four women who all had gunshot wounds.

A dispatcher referred to the crime scene as a “massacre,” according to audio obtained by WGN.

Carr said a man was placed into custody at the scene and a weapon was recovered. It’s unclear if the arrested man is the same person who called 911.

Sunday night, public safety officials identified the victims as 53-year-old Majeda Kassem and her daughters, Halema Kassem, 25, Zahia Kassem, 25, and Hanan Kassem, 24. The shooting was said to be domestic related.

Charlotte Vaitkus, who was neighbors with the victims, told WGN they were a “good family that had a bright future.”

“It’s a tragedy,” Carr said in an interview with WLS. “Not only for the family, but all the surrounding neighbors that are there.”

Police have not identified the suspect as of Monday morning.

This story was originally published January 22, 2024 at 5:52 AM with the headline "Mother, three daughters found shot and killed in Illinois home, cops say. ‘Massacre’."