Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Plainville Man Kills Girlfriend and Two Children, Then Himself During SWAT Standoff

The case highlights how a legally owned gun can figure in lethal domestic violence.

Overview

  • Patrick J. King, 27, died by suicide after officers deployed pepper gas during a SWAT standoff at his Plainville home on Friday.
  • The police response began when his sister called 911 at 3:53 p.m. to report he had told her he shot his girlfriend and their 4-year-old and planned to kill himself.
  • Officers later found 31-year-old Felisha Matthews, her 12-year-old daughter, and 4-year-old Ava King inside the Milford Street house with fatal gunshot wounds.
  • Investigators say the handgun used was registered to King and he had a permit to carry it, and officers found additional firearms in the home.
  • Police reported no known motive and described a two-hour effort using a multi-town SWAT team, crisis negotiators, drones, and phone contact during the standoff, with the investigation continuing.