New York: An Indian woman and three of her relatives were shot dead during a suspected family dispute in the US state of Georgia, according to local authorities. The incident occurred early Friday morning in Lawrenceville city, while three children were inside the house at the time of the shooting.

The Consulate General of India in Atlanta confirmed that an Indian national was among the victims and expressed deep grief over the tragedy. It said the alleged shooter has been arrested and assured that all possible assistance is being provided to the affected family.

Police identified the suspect as Vijay Kumar, 51, of Atlanta. The victims were named as his wife Meemu Dogra (43), Gourav Kumar (33), Nidhi Chander (37), and Harish Chander (38). Kumar has been charged with multiple counts including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and cruelty to children.

According to investigators, three children were present when the shooting began and hid in a closet to protect themselves. One child managed to call 911, helping police reach the scene quickly. The children were unharmed and have since been taken into the care of a family member.