PORT ORANGE, Fla. — Channel 9 has learned the man accused of shooting three of his children in Port Orange before turning the gun on himself had claimed to be the victim of domestic violence.
Investigators said David Mohney, 52, shot and killed his son and daughter, Savanna Mohney, 14, and David Mohney, 11, at their home on Friday.
The only surviving child, 9-year-old Lauren Mohney, has been upgraded from critical to stable condition at Arnold Palmer Hospital.
Channel 9 learned the children's father had claimed to be a victim of domestic abuse and even asked to relocate his children 1,600 miles away to Rapid City, South Dakota, prior to Friday's killing.
In court documents, David Mohney filed for divorce from his wife, Cynthia, in May, citing "concerns about the wife's personal habits and mental disposition."
According to the documents, he wanted majority custody of their three kids, stating he would only allow visitation if there were plans in place to "protect the welfare of the children while in physical custody of the wife."
Shortly after the divorce paperwork was filed, another document was filed asking to keep his wife, the family not shot on Friday, away from the family.
"There has been a domestic violence issue at this house before, and injunction has been levied at this house and it was lifted back in June," said Sheriff Ben Johnson.
In that injunction, David Mohney claimed his wife would "slap their children with an open hand," describing how she once allegedly "grabbed one of their daughters and threw her into a clothes dresser."
He went on to say his children were "crying, afraid and trying to duck or get away" from their mother.
WFTV
