An alleged murder-suicide left a man and woman dead in North Carolina last week, Fox News reported. Police noted that a man, 64, allegedly fatally shot a woman and then shot himself with the same gun. Police responded to reports of a shooting at Holly Tree Racquet Club around 5:30 pm ET on Tuesday, December 7. The female victim was found with a severe gunshot wound. She was declared dead at the scene after a Wilmington Police Department officer attempted to administer CPR until EMS arrived, but failed to revive her.
The 64-year-old man was identified as Dimitre Dimitrov. He suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was rushed to New Hanover Regional Medical Center for treatment but succumbed to his injuries later. The Holly Tree Racquet Club, where the incident took place is known for frequently hosting clinics for children on its 10 tennis courts. The said Tennis courts are located just a few miles from the beach.
Divorce and custody battle
Dimitrov and the deceased woman were going through a divorce proceeding and a bitter custody battle for their 12-year-old son at the time. According to WECT, court filings stated that the couple had lodged physical and verbal abuse allegations against each other. The case was going on for several months after the couple separated earlier this year in September. Court records showed that on the day of the shooting, court officials approved an extension filed by the boy's father in the boy's custody case. It is not clear where the boy is at the moment.
Children were around when the shooting took place
According to the Wilmington Police Department, several children were in the vicinity when the shooting took place, but no one else was injured in the incident. "No children were physically injured during this shooting. This is an isolated incident and is domestic in nature. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim and her family," the police department said in a statement.
The Holly Tree Racquet Club also released a statement over the tragic incident and told WECT that the shooting was the result of a domestic violence dispute between a husband and his wife. "The victims were not members of our tennis facility. Our thoughts and prayers are with the surviving family," the statement said.
