7-year-old left fighting for life after suspected murder-suicide

A 7-year-old boy was clinging to life Wednesday evening after, investigators say, his father shot him and killed his baby sister before turning the gun on himself in Dania Beach.

What began as an argument between parents led to a murder-suicide in which Timothy Hollis, 32, killed Kalila Hollis, 1, and critically wounded Timothy Hollis Jr. before taking his own life, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

The bodies of Hollis and his daughter were found on the sidewalk near the intersection ofWestDania Beach Boulevard and Southwest Eighth Avenue early Wednesday.

TimothyHollis Jr. was found in the street with life-threatening injuries. Hewas taken to JoeDiMaggio Children’sHospital inHollywood, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Those involved didn’t live in the neighborhood where the shootings took place about 1:30 a.m.

Earlier, the children, their father and their mother, Lashunda Bowers, 34, left their residence in the 2300 block of Northwest SixthCourt inFortLauderdale after an argument between the parents, said Gina Carter, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office.

“They drove from that central location to this neighborhood.

Once they were in this area, the mother actually left the vehicle they were in trying Broward to reach a relative’shometo seek aid. While in that home, she heard shots being fired.

When she and her relatives came out, they discovered the bodies and the injured child,” Carter said. It was not known what sparked the argument.

Relatives could not be reached for comment.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information about the shootings to call Detctive JamesHayes at 954-321-4231.

Tips can also be made, anonymously, to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 or browardcrimestoppers.org.