A man has been arrested for murder after allegedly posting an Instagram Live of himself holding a handgun with two female bodies lying on the floor.
The two unnamed women were later found dead by police officers inside the apartment after a tense stand-off.
Vacaville Police Department, based in northern California, said 29-year-old Raymond Michael Weber had since been arrested and sent to the Solano County Jail on two charges of murder.
Officers said the identities of the two slain women are being withheld while the next-of-kin are informed.
Outlining the circumstances in a post on social media the force said they were responding to a ‘call of a welfare check’ at apartments at about 12.42 am on January 30.
A woman had called to say a man was inside and possibly armed.
She said he had ‘live-streamed himself on social media’ from inside the apartment and the video appeared to show the man carrying a handgun with two women lying on the floor, not moving.
Police said that it was later revealed that the man was previously wanted for an outstanding warrant for various offences including domestic battery and assault with a deadly weapon.
When officers arrived on scene they found the man had barricaded himself inside the apartment.
The SWAT Team and Critical Incident Negotiation Team were deployed and after negotiation efforts failed the apartments were evacuated as distraction devices and chemical agents were deployed in an attempt to have the man surrender.
Eventually, officers entered the apartment and found the man hiding inside. After a brief struggle – during which an officer utilized a Taser – the man was taken into custody at about 8.32 am.
Officers went on to make the grim discovery of two women found dead inside the apartment. The cause of their death remains under investigation and their identities are being withheld pending next-of-kin notifications.
This incident is currently under investigation.