New, disturbing information on a fatal house fire involving a father and his three children in southeastern Minnesota earlier this week.
Mower County authorities on Wednesday have confirmed that it was a murder-suicide, and that 38-year-old Levi Christenson, the father of the victims, died by suicide from a gunshot wound.
The three boys who died were 14-year-old Oliver James Christenson, 14-year-old Felix Richard Christenson and 7-year-old Calvin Jones Christenson.
Their deaths were ruled homicides by gunshot wound.
"It's hard for your community to go through that, but everybody's, you know, being there for each other, backing each other up and supporting each other," one unnamed community member told WCCO. "I mean, like I said, everybody's close knit, so everybody's taking it pretty hard, especially the ones that were closer to them."
The fire broke out on Sunday, November 8 when emergency crews were called to a home at 120 1st St. NE in in Grand Meadow, Minnesota, which is located south of Rochester near the Iowa border.
A GoFundMe has been launched for the mother of Oliver, Felix and Calvin. “Her boys were her pride and joy, her happiness, and the center of her universe,” the fundraiser says.
A prayer vigil is taking place Wednesday night at the St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow. It’s scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The Minnesota BCA is assisting Mower County with the investigation.
