Teenage son 'scared' of father who shot him and sister dead

A neighbour of two children shot dead by their own father say one of the teenagers was “scared” of him.

John Edwards, 68, had purchased two handguns, which were used to murder his daughter, 13, and son, 15, in their West Pennant Hills home – in Sydney’s northwest – on Thursday.

“He was scared of his father coming around,” one neighbour told 7 News, referring to Edwards’ 15-year-old son.

“So they just stayed indoors.”

After shooting the children, who were at home alone, Edwards made the 10-minute drive to his Normanhurst home, where detectives believe he quickly took his life.

His estranged wife, Olga, returned home to find her children lifeless in their bedrooms.

“She didn’t sustain any physical injuries as such but however because of the horrific scene the stress is enormous to her,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Kevin McSweeney said.

Police received their first call from the murder scene at 5.20pm on Thursday.

Twelve hours later, police in armoured vehicles and the riot squad rolled into Edwards’ Normanhurst street.

“John Edwards, this is the police,” a police officer says over a speaker.

“Your house is surrounded and we have a search warrant to enter the premises.”

Police found the body of John Edwards inside the house.

NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said the act was “premeditated and planned”.

The guns used in the double murder-suicide were a 9mm Glock and a Smith & Wesson .586 purchased three months ago, Seven News understands.

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Last September, Edwards applied for a handgun licence.

He already had a rifle licence and had surrendered three rifles during the National Firearms Amnesty.

“There were a number of firearms that he had ownership and control over, and only two of them were located at Normanhurst,” Acting Asst Comm McFadden said.

On Friday Olga’s law firm was closed, while her son’s school sent his classmates home.

“Today our hearts broke when we found out that one of our students was taken from us too soon,” the school wrote on their Facebook page.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the children’s deaths as a “terrible, terrible tragedy”.

“Our hearts go out to the mother and all of the family,” he said.