SATELLITE BEACH, Fla.,None — Brevard County investigators say a Satellite Beach man shot and killed his girlfriend over a custody battle, and then was shot and killed by police. Police said Gabriel Field shot his girlfriend, her mother, and his stepfather, before officers shot and killed him at a home on Grant Avenue ( see map ) in Satellite Beach Sunday.
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The community of Satellite Beach has not seen a murder in 25 years, but Monday it was the center of a tragic homicide investigation. Officers have been at the home for almost 24 hours.
There were nearly a dozen bullets fired inside the home. It was a tragic beginning to the holidays. Crime scene investigators spent the day documenting bullet trajectories, while two families tried to come to grips with a deadly shootout.
"I was in my bedroom and I heard, 'Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang,'" neighbor Jean Dunn said.
Investigators said 22-year-old Gabriel Field opened fire on his 26-year-old girlfriend, Mary Kennon, after she threatened to take their 1-month-old daughter and move in with her mom.
"This seems to be totally something occurred as a build up throughout the day and, one moment in time, he snapped," said Lt. Tod Goodyear of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.
Officers believe Field shot Kennon first, and then fired at Kennon's mom and his stepfather. Investigators said Field's stepfather wrestled the gun away from him just as the first police officers arrived.
Not knowing who was who, police ordered the victim to drop the gun and investigators said that's when Field grabbed it and fired one more shot at his stepfather, before police killed Field.
Field's adoptive father, Thomas Field, told WFTV he sensed Field's anger earlier.
"He has been, how would I say, angry over the past few days, and I think it's over this custody battle," Field said.
But neighbors recognize the tragedy that will live on with the couple's child.
"Hopefully it has some family to grow up with. I heard family members took the baby. Hopefully they are good family," neighbor Mike Baker said.
A family member whisked the child to a neighbor's home as the shooting began. The infant is with relatives while the Department of Children and Families decides who will get custody.