Police today are investigating the deaths of four people found inside two south Charlotte apartment units. The dead include a husband, wife and two children.

Three of the dead were found inside a unit in the 6900 block of Providence Square Drive, just east of Providence Road and south of Fairview Road. Officers had gone to the unit at the request of a man who called 911 Monday around 11:13 p.m. asking police to check on the welfare of his niece, who lived in the apartment with her husband and four children.

When officers arrived, the apartment’s front door was open and officers saw the husband standing on the stairs inside the unit. Shortly after calling out to the man, police said, they heard two gunshots from inside the apartment. Police said two young children then ran unharmed from the unit.

Officers entered the apartment and found the man suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

Police also found two children, ages 1 and 12, dead inside the unit. Police said it appeared that the children had been dead for several days. The manner of their deaths was not immediately determined.

Based on information gathered from family members, police went to a second apartment building nearby in the 5600 block of Via Romano Drive at about 2:45 a.m. to look for the children’s mother, who was found dead inside the unit. Police said it appeared that the woman had been dead for some time. The cause of her death was not immediately determined.

Police early Tuesday had not released any of the victims’ names.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

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