Video: Early morning murder-suicide in Renton

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RENTON, Wash. - Police say a man forced his way into a Renton apartment with a gun and killed his estranged girlfriend and himself.

The shooting happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday in the Arbor Apartments at 1150 Union Avenue where the 26-year-old man and 25-year-old woman lived in separate units.

"I heard a gunshot. A big bang. And then I heard two more,” said neighbor Victor Cubias. He called 911 Tuesday morning after hearing the sounds.

Police believe the man shattered a living room window to enter the apartment.

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Police crime taps cordons off the Renton, WA apartment where a man shot and killed his estranged girlfriend before committing suicide. Nov. 18, 2008.

Six other people – four of them children – ran to a back room while the woman faced her apparent killer alone. Moments later, police say he fired his handgun at her and then turned it on himself.

Cubias says during the few short weeks the woman and her three children had lived downstairs from him, he had seen enough violence to call police.

"At first he grabbed her and I was like, that's not good. And then he kept grabbing her from her shoulder and pushing her,” said Cubias about another incident.

Neighbors say the man, woman and their three children had lived on the other side of the Arbor Apartments until a few weeks ago.

Police say on October 28th a temporary restraining order was issued against the man. He violated it the next day.

On November 11th, the suspect skipped the related hearing and a judge issued a full protection order. That order was served on November 15th, but by early morning Tuesday, the man and woman were dead.

"This is one of those situations where we have to remember that a protection order is a piece of paper and people still have to have good reliable systems. They still have to know where it’s safe to be. They still need to have a support system. They still need to be able to protect themselves,” said Penny Bartley, Renton Police spokesperson.

Neighbors say the woman did not know English and may have had a hard time knowing where and how to get help.

"Language is definitely a terrible, terrible obstacle to overcome,” said Barbara Langdon, executive director of the Eastside Domestic Violence program.

Advocates say they are working hard to make all women at risk aware of their services.

"If we can get them on the crisis line we could find a language to speak to them in. Help them with safety planning. Tell people what their options are. Let them know that they do have choices. Let them know that there is hope out there,” said Langdon.