2 dead in apparent murder-suicide

A 50-year-old man apparently shot and killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself Saturday evening, according to Costa Mesa police officials.

Police officers responded to a call about a woman being shot at a residence in the 2300 block of Vanguard Way at 6:51 p.m.. Officers at the scene then made telephone contact with a man inside a condominium unit. Police said the man threatened the officers over the phone after barricading himself in the residence. The man also fired a gun in their direction, police said.

SWAT officers and hostage negotiators were present during the three and a half hour standoff. “There was some negotiation with the man,” Sergeant Tim Schennum said. He did not reveal details of the threats made toward police.

Officers entered the residence at 12:16 a.m. and found the man and his 58-year-old wife dead from gunshot wounds.

Costa Mesa police are investigating the incident and did not release names of the deceased pending notification of family by the Orange County coroner’s office.

The coroner’s office did not have any new information about the incident at press time, according to Deputy Mitchell Sigal.