He identified them as 50-year-old Vic Buckner, 49-year-old Kimberly Buckner, 18-year-old Kaitlin Buckner and 6-year-old Emma Buckner.
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The medical examiner will determine the cause of death for each victim.
“This is what heroes look like”, he said of police and firefighters.
Police Sgt. Trent Crump says the girl died at a hospital Tuesday.
A next-door neighbor said the family had lived in the home for about two years after moving from Oklahoma. James Graham says he wasn’t close to his neighbors but they chatted occasionally and never mentioned any issues.
“We had police officers holding fire hoses, trying to knock down the fire so other police officers could do their job”.
“When they show up on a scene, instead of running from it, we run toward it”, Jamison said. Police later told reporters the suspect was “down”, however it is not clear whether he was shot or died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A motive for the violence was not immediately known and the identity of the victims has not been released. Details about what happened are unclear.
A joint press conference was held in front of the home earlier today by Phoenix City Council Member Thelda Williams and Mayor Greg Stanton. The suspect was killed by police.
A 12-year-old girl was taken to hospital with critical injuries, but died a short time later while being treated. Some firefighters battling the blaze stood on the roof to put out flames gushing from the home.
Facing east near Sunnyside Avenue in Phoenix, firefighters work the scene of a deadly house fire and shooting on February 23, 2016.
Stanton talked about the “unbelievable tragedy” and “unspeakable violence” that occurred inside the home and praised Phoenix and Glendale police and firefighters for their actions. Shortly after, police were able to enter the home where they discovered Alex Buckner dead.
A team from the department’s Special Assignment Unit wore self-contained breathing apparatus when they entered the home. The fire broke out soon after. Police and firefighters braved bullets and flames as they responded to the fatal shooting and house fire.
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Police officers dressed in firefighter gear so they could get inside the house to search for the family.
The first responders attempted to rescue the people inside the burning home while being fired upon.
Deliz said police officers and firefirefighter do receive some cross training, but Crump described the fire-elated training officers get at the police academy as slim to none. The initial 911 call reportedly claimed a family of four was under fire inside their house. “He pointed a gun at one of our officers and was shot”, Sgt. Crump said.
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Journalists were being kept hundreds of feet from the home and at least one local television station cut away from showing live video from a helicopter.
