, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A Maryland police officer shot and
killed his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, a city firefighter, before
turning the gun on himself, police said.
Christopher Robinson, 37, of Abington, Md.,
who was a police officer assigned to the Baltimore Police Department's Eastern
District, had broken up with Marie Hartman, 27, in August, his family said, and
had struggled with moving past the relationship. In September, Hartman had
begun dating Andrew Hoffman, 26, though Robinson continued to pursue Hartman,
sending her text messages and flowers in an attempt to woo her back, The
Baltimore Sun reported.
Police said Robinson followed the couple home
from a Halloween party early Sunday and confronted them inside Hoffman's Anne Arundel
County home where the two along with Hartman's 18-year-old sister were planning
a bonfire.
Officers said Hoffman confronted Robinson and
the police officer opened fire, killing Hoffman and Hartman. Hoffman's sister
hid in a closet and later fled out a window after Robinson killed himself.
Robinson's family said they were aware he was
having a hard time with the breakup but expressed shock that it ended with such
violent tragedy. Robinson's brother, Wayne, is also a city firefighter and was
friends with Hoffman.
"I don't know what happened last night,
but the person that pulled that trigger wasn't the Chris that I know,"
Wayne Robinson said. "They told me this morning and I didn't believe it. I
just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that it happened. I lost a brother
and I lost a friend. It's just crazy."
When last he'd spoken to his brother, Wayne
Robinson said Chris has asked his advice on the situation and Wayne suggested
Chris leave the new couple alone and move on.
"He was having problems with this
girl," Wayne Robinson said. "He asked me two weeks ago for advice. I
told him to leave her be, because she didn't want anything to do with him
anymore."
Anne Arundel police spokesman Lt. T.J. Smith
said investigators were "able to quickly determine this was a
domestic-related murder-suicide."
"This is an absolute tragedy," he
said.