Gunman in Santa suit killed six, self in Texas

A man suspected of opening fire on a family Christmas celebration outside Dallas was dressed in a Santa Claus suit when he killed six people and then himself, police said on Monday.

Authorities continued their search for clues in Grapevine, a Dallas suburb dubbed the "Christmas Capital of Texas," to explain the Sunday murder-suicide rampage that left the seven shot dead among unwrapped holiday presents.

The dead -- four women and three men between the ages of 15 and 58 -- were found on Sunday morning in an apartment living-room by police answering a voiceless 911 emergency call, authorities said. "By all appearances, they're all part of the same family," said Sergeant Robert Eberling of the Grapevine police department, adding that some were related through marriage.

Two pistols were recovered from the home, said Eberling, who called it a "gruesome crime scene" and the worst outburst of gun violence in the town's history. Authorities were waiting on autopsy reports before releasing identities, a potential motive and details on what exactly happened inside the home, Eberling said.

"We have a petty good idea who these folks were, and we're trying to work through contacting other family members so we can better piece together what took place and why it took place," he said.

Eberling said the suspected shooter was dressed in a Santa Claus suit but gave no further details. The 911 caller never spoke to police, and officers did not see the telephone when they arrived, officials said. Eberling said he believed police had to kick in the door to enter. No neighbours reported hearing gunshots, he said.

Eberling said the victims appeared to have just opened Christmas presents when the shooting started, and there was no sign of forced entry or a struggle. Circumstances of the shooting remained sketchy, but Eberling said it appeared as though the bloodbath unfolded during a family holiday celebration. No one was found alive by police arriving at the home, he said. A community of about 46,000 people some 20 miles (32km) northwest of downtown Dallas, Grapevine is known for its wine-tasting salons and was proclaimed by the state Senate as the "Christmas Capital of Texas" for its abundance of annual holiday-season events.

"This is obviously a terrible tragedy," Mayor William Tate said on Sunday night in a statement. "The fact that it happened on Christmas makes it even more tragic."