Five people, including two children, found dead at two homes in Duluth
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Five people, including two children, were found dead Thursday in an apparent murder-suicide at two homes in Duluth.
Just after 2 p.m. Thursday, Duluth police made a welfare check on Erin Abramson, 47, after she didn’t show up for her job with the city of Superior, Wis.
At her home on the 6000 block of Tacony Street in the West Duluth neighborhood, officers found Abramson and her son, 15-year-old Jacob Nephew, dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Police identified a suspect — 46-year old Anthony Nephew, who lived about a mile away. Nephew had been in a previous relationship with Abramson, and was the father of Jacob Nephew.
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Officers set up surveillance around Anthony Nephew’s home on the 4400 block of West Sixth Street, near Denfeld High School.
After learning that Nephew had a wife and child who lived with him, Police Chief Mike Ceynowa said officers flew a drone into the home.
That’s when officers located Nephew dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. They also found his wife, 45-year-old Kathryn Nephew (Ramsland) and their son, 7-year-old Oliver Nephew, dead from gunshot wounds.
“This is not something that happens often in our community,” said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert. “It’s been a couple years since we’ve seen something like this, and we’re going to grieve, but we’re also going to make sure that we support those families and support our public safety team.”
Superior Mayor Jim Paine said Abramson was a leader in the city’s environmental services division.
"She dedicated her life and her work to protecting public health in Superior and the North Woods of Wisconsin, and to protecting the health of Lake Superior,” Paine said.
“Erin was a very valuable employee to the City of Superior. She’s going to be very dearly missed for her work and her personality.”
Duluth public schools sent text messages and emails Friday morning to notify families of the death of Oliver Nephew, who was a first-grade student at Rockridge Academy.
“Oliver’s passing is a devastating loss for our entire community,” said Superintendent John Magas.
“Our hearts go out to his family and friends, and we extend our deepest condolences to them during this unimaginably difficult time. We also recognize the impact this tragedy has on our broader school community and are here to support all those affected by this heartbreaking loss.”
Magas said the district mobilized its crisis team to assist students, staff and parents.
Ceynowa said police are looking at cell phone data as part of their investigation, to piece together a timeline as to when the shootings occurred.
He added that they are still investigating possible motivations, but said preliminarily “we have seen a pattern of mental health issues with Anthony Nephew.”
Police say the incident remains an active and ongoing investigation.
If you or someone you know is in a dangerous situation with their partner, there is a 24-hour statewide domestic violence hotline. You can call Minnesota Day One at (866) 223-1111 or text (612) 399-9995.