He apparently took the kids and fled in his mom's car.
A father killed his two young sons before turning the gun on himself in St. Louis on Saturday night.
The man, who police identified as Christopher Cadenbach, had a $100,000 bond issued for his arrest in connection with a previous domestic violence dispute, but on Saturday afternoon when he met with this mom and two sons at the park, he said “he wasn’t going to be taken alive,” according to reports.
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His mom reportedly told police that Cadenbach said he wanted a “suicide by cop.”
Police said Cadenbach left the park in his mom’s car with the two boys, 5-year-old Ethan and 4-year-old Owen, and then she called police.
Police issued an Amber Alert for the children Saturday night and a park ranger spotted a vehicle matching the description of Cadenbach’s at Cliff Cave Park in South County, police said.
A helicopter overhead saw someone moving towards the vehicle and officers moved toward the scene, but they immediately heard gunshots, police said.
Officers say Cadenbach shot and killed his children
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"He was apparently shooting his children. We tried to engage him and it appears he took his own life,” said St. Louis County Police Department's Deputy Chief Kenneth Cox.
A GoFundMe started by the family for the boys described them as happy kids.
"A mother who was trying to protect her children, will now have 2 funerals for these babies. These babies also have 2 older siblings as well. This family is struggling emotionally and will be finacially for these unexpected deaths," the campaign read.
Cliff Cave Park will be closed on Sunday for the investigation, which is ongoing.
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