A tragic incident has unfolded in a small community in Surprise, Arizona. A father, identified as 34-year-old Brock Mater, and his two young children, ages seven and six, were found dead in their residence on Monday afternoon, May 20 in what police are treating as a murder-suicide.
Mater’s estranged wife, whom he was in the process of divorcing, initially raised alarms when the children were absent from school on Monday after spending the weekend with their father. Unable to reach Mater despite multiple attempts, she grew increasingly concerned when she noticed his vehicle at their home but received no answer when knocking on the door, according to Sgt. Rick Hernandez of the Surprise Police Department.
The mother, anxious for the safety of her children, alerted the police. Officers arrived at the location around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 20, 2024. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact anyone inside the house, the officers entered the residence. They discovered Mater and the children dead from gunshot wounds, with Mater found with a rifle across his lap, pointing to a probable murder-suicide.
Residents in the vicinity reported hearing loud sounds, which they initially mistook for fireworks, on the preceding Sunday night. Police investigators now believe these sounds were the fatal gunshots. “It’s terrible, and I hope that it doesn’t happen again here,” a neighbor remarked, echoing the community’s shock and grief.
At the time of the incident, Mater was receiving mental health treatment. Police records reveal no known criminal history, but Mater had previously been taken in for mental health emergencies. “It is our understanding that while they were separated, he was actively seeking and receiving mental health treatment, and that treatment was going well,” Sgt. Hernandez stated at a press conference.
Court filings indicate the mother had sought an order of protection against Mater the previous October, alleging threats and abusive behavior. However, the protection order was dissolved earlier this month as their divorce proceedings progressed. The records also depict Mater’s history of mental health struggles, including treatment for bipolar disorder and significant stress related to his marital separation and impending custody battle.
This tragic event follows a similar incident in Surprise, Arizona, where a man is alleged to have shot his seven-month-old son before ending his own life. “A number of the officers who responded to the hostage situation on May 17, they were the officers who responded yesterday,” Sgt. Hernandez pointed out, underlining the emotional burden borne by local law enforcement.
