Father Dies Shielding Children From Shooter, Gunman Shoots Family Then Sets House Ablaze [VIDEO]

Los Angeles, CA – A 30-year-old father was found shot in his home, where he was allegedly shielding his children from a gunman’s fire. The Inglewood, California home was set afire before the gunman, wearing a painter’s mask, shot the man and his family. Three children and their mother were also shot.

The father died in surgery, reports NBC News, as did the 4-year-old he was shielding.

The suspected gunman, 55-year-old Desmond John Moses, had allegedly known the victims for years, but was in an argument with the family. Moses lived in a bungalow behind the victim’s home. The owner of the property reported that Moses had recently fought an eviction notice, but had lost the case in court. One of the victim’s family members claimed that Moses had not paid his rent, and that police had been called to his home multiple times for “disturbances.”

The victim’s wife, a 28-year-old woman said to be the children’s mother, was being treated for severe gunshot wounds to the legs. In spite of her injuries, she carried the fatally injured 4-year-old to a neighbor’s yard after the shooting. “This extraordinary rescue attempt by the mother occurred in spite of the fact that she had gunshot wounds to both legs,” a police department statement said. She was in critical condition upon her arrival at the hospital, as was a 6-year-old boy with a gunshot would to his pelvis. A 7-year-old girl suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. An 8-year-old boy was the only family member left uninjured.

Moses allegedly targeted the family at about 4 AM, setting fire to their home and then opening gunfire on the victims. As of Saturday morning, police were still investigating whether or not Moses fled the scene or remained in the burning building. He was in the process of being evicted from his home.