Murder suspect dies after fatally shooting wife, then himself

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Two people are dead, and Milwaukee's Lao community is mourning after a murder-suicide.

A woman was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon, on July 20. Her husband was the suspected shooter who later shot himself. Wednesday night the Medical Examiner confirmed the husband died from his injuries.

There were two scenes several blocks apart. First the 49-year-old woman was shot and killed near 34^th and National, at a restaurant where she worked. Then her husband drove to a home near 26^th and Highland and shot himself after a brief encounter with police.

A man who witnessed the first shooting said, "The guy sped off and next thing I know I was crossing in the pedestrian walkway, and you heard one loud gunshot."

Neighbors there say there's often violence in that area. Witness Michael Tabor said, "I can't believe it, every time you look around someone gets shot."

But this shooting was targeted. Milwaukee police say the woman's 62-year-old husband was the suspected shooter.

Family-friend Chintana Voravong said she was "Very shocked. Very unfortunate. We're very close to both the husband and the wife."

The husband left the scene and drove to a home near 26^th and Highland.

Police made contact and shot what MPD called a "non-lethal weapon" in his direction. That's when he shot himself in the head.

He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but died a few hours later.

Friends were shocked by the loss.

Voravong said of the wife, "She's great. She's lively, she's lovable, she's always there for you, always makes you laugh. She's great. It's unfortunate."

The couple is part of Milwaukee's close-knit Lao community, many of them refugees from the Asian country of Laos.

Voravong said, "We're close. We mourn together, we celebrate together. Times like this is when we only have each other."

Friends say the woman had three children, one of them young.