What is murder suicide?

Murder-suicide refers to a violent act where an individual kills another person, usually a family member or intimate partner, before committing suicide. According to research, most murder-suicides involve a male perpetrator and female victim in a domestic relationship. The perpetrator often has a history of mental illness or crisis. It is also common for perpetrators to have access to firearms, which increases the likelihood of a successful murder-suicide.

Murder-suicides have serious consequences for families, communities, and society as a whole. They can cause significant trauma and emotional pain for surviving family members, friends, and witnesses. Moreover, these incidents underscore the need for more effective prevention and intervention strategies aimed at reducing domestic violence, mental health stigma, and firearm-related deaths.

There is no single cause of murder-suicide, as it involves complex factors such as mental health problems, substance abuse, relationship problems, and access to lethal weapons. Prevention efforts therefore require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach involving early intervention and support for individuals experiencing mental health crises, access to domestic violence shelters and programs, and stronger gun control measures.