Three people have been found dead in a house in West Omaha, Neb., following a standoff and hostage situation that lasted almost 12 hours, according to NBC News. Two of the men killed were brothers, Jason and John Edwards.
The incident reportedly began on Friday, when the two brothers attempted to help their sister, Julie Edwards, recover some possessions from her ex-boyfriend, 45-year-old Kenneth Clarke, according to the Associated Press. A statement from the sheriff's office on Saturday said that the visit had been organized by Julie Edwards beforehand.
It is believed by investigators that Clark proceeded to fatally shoot Jason and John Edwards, who were inside the house, before taking Julie Edwards hostage, according to the Associated Press. Authorities responded to the scene after receiving a 911 call at approximately 10:30 a.m., which is now believed to have been made by John Edwards.
Clark then kept Julie Edwards hostage for almost 12 hours, with police surrounding the residence and making repeated efforts to negotiate, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Julie Edwards was released in the early afternoon after a hostage negotiator persuaded Clark to let her leave the building but remained inside himself.
"He was all over the map, between sobbing, crying, praying," Douglas County Chief Deputy Sheriff Thomas Wheeler told reporters, according to the Associated Press. "Several times he said he was going to come out, and of course, he never did."
Officers fired tear gas canisters into the house at around 10 p.m. after hearing a gunshot, which led them to send in a robotically controlled camera. It was then discovered that Clark had killed himself in the upstairs bedroom.
Jason and John Edwards' bodies were found inside the house shortly afterward.
A small crowd gathered on Sunday to commemorate the lives of the two brothers, who were described by their former employers as "honorable men," according to the Omaha World-Herald. Both brothers were fathers, and a memorial fund has been set up for their children.
