A birthday party turned into a nightmare when a father shot his twin boys and himself.
Ten-year-old Joseph and Greysen Chavez died at their grandmother's birthday celebration in Canoga Park after police say their father opened fire.
A family gathering should be a safe place filled with cake, laughter, and love. Instead, a grandmother's birthday party in Canoga Park became the scene of an awful family tragedy.
WHAT HAPPENED
On Sunday night around 7:15 p.m., police rushed to an apartment on Owensmouth Avenue. They found three people dead from gunshot wounds to the head.
Detectives say a father killed his 10-year-old twin sons, Joseph and Greysen Chavez. He also shot at their mother but missed, before shooting himself.
Neighbors watched in shock as officers carried the bodies from the apartment complex. Earlier that day, those neighbors had chatted with the sweet boys in the hallway.
What the evidence shows
- Sunday night at 7:15 p.m. is when police got the call.
- 2 young boys, Joseph and Greysen Chavez, died at the scene.
- 10 years old was the age of the twin brothers.
- 8000 block of Owensmouth Avenue was the location of the shooting.
- 1 mother survived after the shooter shot at her and missed.
THE BIGGER QUESTION
How do we spot the warning signs before a tragedy like this happens? Neighbors saw a sweet, normal family just hours before the gunfire, showing how easily deep pain can hide behind closed doors.
We must ask if our communities have the right tools to help desperate parents before they turn to violence.
THE OTHER SIDE
Because the shooter took his own life, there is no defense attorney to speak for him. Police are still looking into his background and mental state to find out why this happened. Until those details come out, we only have the tragic physical evidence at the scene.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
A mother is left to grieve her two children and her husband all at once. Neighbors in the Canoga Park complex are struggling to process the violence that happened right next door. Local groups are offering support to help the family and neighbors cope with the shock.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
What was the motive behind the shooting?
- Did the father have a history of mental health issues or domestic abuse?
- Where did the father get the gun used in the crime?
Transparency notes
Published: Jun 9, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
External source links were not provided in this article body. Our editors reference publicly available materials and update stories as new verified information arrives.