The victim obtained a restraining order against her husband the day before the fatal shooting that killed four of five family members in Paradise Hills, San Diego Share Both parents and a three-year-old boy were found dead in the house Get the biggest daily news

A man shot and killed his wife and three of their sons before taking his own life in an apparent murder-suicide.

Police arrived the home following a neighbour's report of a 'nail gun firing' on Saturday morning to find a young boy covered in blood inside the house in San Diego, California.

They broke into the house and found a 29-year-old woman, her 31-year-old husband and three other boys - aged 5,9 and 11 - with apparent gunshots wounds.

Both adults and a 3-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Lt. Matt Dobbs of the San Diego Police Department. Three other boys were also wounded but two were pronounced dead at hospital Read More Prince Andrew: Pizza Express swamped with fake reviews after royal's BBC interview

Two other boys were pronounced dead at the hospital and the surviving boy was taken into emergency surgery in critical condition, the police said in a press conference.

The age of the surviving child is not yet clear. The family has not been named.

Dobbs said: "It's still very early in an investigation, but it appears to be a tragic case of a domestic violence murder-suicide."

The mother had yesterday obtained a restraining order against the father but it's unclear if 'the order has been served', he added.

It is understood that the man had visited the home in the morning and had argument before shooting the wife and the children then turning the gun on himself.

The police ruled the incident as a domestic dispute involving one family.

Police Chief David Nisleit said: "My heart goes out to the family and their friends.

"As a husband and a father this incident is very difficult for me to even think about." Read More