Father’s fatal shooting of teen children was ‘premeditated and planned’
The fatal shooting of two teenage children in Sydney’s northwest, by a 68-year-old father who later took his own life, was “planned and premeditated”.
The body of John Ian Edwards was found dead in a Normanhurst house early on Friday morning, just five kilometres from where he shot dead his 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter in West Pennant Hills on Thursday evening.
The 68-year-old was the father of the children but did not live at the West Pennant Hills home, police said.
Police Acting Region Commander Brett McFadden told reporters in Sydney on Friday that they had recovered the two powerful handguns Edwards used in the “premeditated” attack.
“The 68-year-old male was the holder of a number of firearms. The two handguns were registered in his name,” NSW Police Acting Region Commander Brett McFadden told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“We understand that those handguns came into his possession lawfully earlier this year,” he said.
The siblings’ mother, 36, arrived at the West Pennant Hills home shortly after the shooting.
“The mother resided at the address at Pennant Hills with the two children. The 68-year-old did not reside at the house. He had to attend to commit the crime,” Det Supt McFadden said.
