The city of Muscatine, Iowa, is mourning the loss of six members of the McFarland family killed in a mass shooting on Monday, before the shooter shot himself.
Two of the victims were recognized by the authorities as close associates and members of the same extended family of the home where the shooting took place.
According to the superintendent, two of the six victims of the deadly shooting were students in a nearby school district.
Authorities said the suspect, the father, Ryan Willis McFarland, 52, of Muscatine, committed suicide after being confronted by police later that day.
The six victims have been identified as Lesa McFarland, 51, Dakota Whitlow, 32, Austin Harris, 29, Ryle McFarland, 20, Mark McFarland, 16, and Ryan McFarland Jr., 13.
Lesa McFarland worked in nutrition services at Susan Clark Junior High in Muscatine, while Ryle McFarland was a recent graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and was preparing to begin her teaching career.
Mark McFarland had just completed his junior year at Muscatine High School, and Ryan McFarland Jr. was the youngest of the McFarland family, having recently completed seventh grade at Susan Clark Junior High.
Residents have held vigils and memorial services to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting, with the shooter's surviving son, Jonathan McFarland, giving a heartfelt speech in memory of his family.
