A man shot and killed his wife at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses outside of Denver, Colorado, police said Sunday.
At about 9 a.m. on Christmas Day, the police department in Thornton, Colorado, received a call about a fire at the hall, the department said in a Sunday news release. Officials later received a report that a woman was shot and killed by a man there.
The man later killed himself, officials said.
The man and woman were married and former members of the Kingdom Hall congregation. The Adams County, Colorado, Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Material Unit was investigating what officials called “suspicious devices” found at the hall.
Police did not release the identity of the man and woman.
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Hours before officials confirmed details of the alleged shooting, they said there was no active threat to the broader area.
Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann said in a statement to USA TODAY that “The Thornton City Council and myself are saddened by the violent actions that took two lives in our city.”
“This kind of violence is always shocking but particularly on Christmas Day. We understand the Thornton Police Department is in the early stages of the investigation and we will learn more in the days to come. For now, our hope is that we all can take time to focus on those we love and find a way to hold them close today,” she said.
USA TODAY has reached out to the Thornton Police Department and the Adams County Coroner’s Office for more information.