Police in Duluth are investigating after five people, including two children, were found dead from gunshot wounds inside two separate homes on Thursday afternoon.

Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert and Police Chief Mike Ceynowa spoke during a 12 p.m. news conference on Friday, and were joined by Superior, Wisconsin mayor Jim Paine, who was asked to join the event by Reinert.

Law enforcement initially found a 47-year-old woman and her 15-year-old son dead inside a home on the 6000 block of Tacony Street from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. They were identified on Friday morning as Erin Abramson and Jacob Nephew.

Police then identified a suspect and set up a perimeter at his home on the 4400 block of West 6th Street.

After entering the home by using a drone, law enforcement discovered a 45-year-old woman and a 7-year-old dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Officials identified them as Kathryn Nephew (Ramsland) and Oliver Nephew.

The suspect, who police say is 46-year-old Anthony Nephew, was also found dead in that home from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

During Friday’s news conference, Ceynowa said Anthony and Kathryn were married and had a child together. He went on to add that Anthony and Abramson previously were in a relationship and also had a child together.

“We also want to send condolences to Duluth and superior communities due to this senseless tragedy,” said Ceynowa.

Paine said Abramson was a member of his city staff and was a leader in the city’s environmental services division. He added she dedicated her life and work to protecting the health of people, as well as Lake Superior, and extended his condolences to her family and friends on behalf of the city council and fellow colleagues.

Both mayors extended their thanks, as well as their thoughts and prayers, to the members of the public safety team which responded to the crime.

Police have said there is currently no danger to the public and added on Friday that they are still looking into a couple of previous calls made at one of the involved addresses.

A vigil is forming outside one of the crime scenes for one of the children who was killed.

“I can’t process that they’re gone,” Lindsey Jungman, who knew the victims, said. “Everyone who met Oliver remembered him because he was just so bubbly. Kat [Kathryn] too, she really was just kindness and really watched out for our kids.”

Neighbors describe the blended family as nice and caring and that they got along.

“It’s a complicated story and I think that’s important,” Jungman said. “I was just so sad when I heard it, because of the loss, but also knowing that this is not something that Tony [Anthony], when he was in his right mind, would ever do.”

People describe their house as the heart of the neighborhood, but now it’s a sad reminder of a tragic loss too close to home.

“The whole family was so wonderful and I can’t imagine the neighborhood without them,” Jungman said.

Reinert noted the infrequency of this happening in the area.

“This is not something that happens often in our community, and it has been a couple of years since we’ve seen something like this,” said Reinert.

In April of 2022, five people — 9-year-old Sadie Lucille Barry, 12-year-old Shiway Elizabeth Barry, 44-year-old Riana Lou Barry, 47-year-old Sean Christopher Barry as well as 29-year-old Brandon Taylor Cole Skogstad — were found dead in a home on the 700 block of East 12th Street in Duluth. Their deaths were eventually classified as a murder-suicide.

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