CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. -- A crime scene in a Ladysmith neighborhood prompted the evacuation of Lewis & Clark Elementary School on Friday morning.
Caroline Sheriff's deputies responded to Meriwether Lewis Street just before 8 a.m. after neighbors heard gunshots.
A man and woman were found dead inside a home on that block.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett it appears to be a murder-suicide.
Those sources said an estranged boyfriend of the woman who lived here shot her and then killed himself. Neighbors said the couple had been struggling and the boyfriend was set to move out soon.
Sheriff Scott Moser would not elaborate. He said the family needed time to wrap their heads around the tragedy and their arms around surviving family.
"I don't want to give any information out in reference to the family involved," he said. "I think it's best to let the family process it. Hopefully, thoughts and prayers will go out to the family. This is very tragic with children involved."
The woman's adult son was inside the home and heard the shots.
The crime scene is about 75 yards from the elementary school. The school was locked down and buses were diverted until the scene was deemed safe.
"We didn't know exactly what we had [at first]. We notified school officials. We have a great partnership with the school. They diverted the school buses, took [the students] to the high school to make sure that everything was okay with the children," Moser said. "Right now we have determined there is no threat to the community it's an isolated incident. It is currently under investigation and we will get further information at a later time."
Anyone with information was asked to call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
