Late Tuesday night, a man in South Carolina took the lives of three children and an adult before taking his own life with a firearm, as confirmed by the authorities.

Though their identities were not initially released, sources informed the Associated Press that the shooter was a former soldier, and the adult victim was an active-duty member of the U.S. Army. The gunman killed his three children, who were asleep in their beds at the Sumter home around 10:30 p.m., as per a local official interviewed by Columbia NBC affiliate WIS.

Following that, the attacker shot the adult victim in the backyard before committing suicide with the same gun, according to WIS sources. The police have described the incident as “domestic-related,” and there appears to be no further threat to the public.

The three children were students in Sumter School District, with two attending Millwood Elementary School and one at Alice Drive Middle School, as shared by district superintendent William Wright.

“Our hearts are filled with sadness, and we will continue to lend support to one another during this time,” Wright said.

Army Maj. Jason Welch has confirmed that the shooter, who was an ex-soldier, was associated with U.S. Army Central, commonly known as the Third Army, which is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, just a short seven miles northwest of Sumter. Additionally, the adult victim was an active member of the U.S. Army group, as per Welch’s statement.

A similar, yet unrelated incident occurred two years prior, approximately 70 miles north in Rock Hill, S.C., where former NFL player Phillip Adams fatally shot six people before ending his own life. Adams had been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disorder common in former NFL players that can result in violent mood swings and depression.