Two men are dead are after a murder-suicide late Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Dairy Queen in Latonia.

This story has been updated with the identity of the victims and initial circumstances around the case. See below.

Witnesses at the scene reported to The River City News that they heard six or seven shots and saw four children run from the scene to the Latonia Liquor store across Decoursey Avenue.

When police responded, a man was found dead inside a silver vehicle. A second man was transported by ambulance from the scene and also died. The second man is believed to be the children's father.

Next of kin had not been notified as of 8 p.m., according to a statement from Covington Police Chief Spike Jones. The scene was still active and the body of the driver of the silver vehicle, killed in the shooting, remained inside the car covered by a white sheet.

Victim's body remained in silver car at right Sunday evening/RCN

According to Jones, there was a pre-arranged meeting every couple weeks for Zuriel Turk to spend a few hours with his four biological children who range in age from ten to fifteen. On Sunday, the kids were brought to the Dairy Queen by their stepfather, Mark Kroening, believed to be 62.

"Unfortunately on this occasion, Mr. Turk brought a handgun for whatever reason to the prearranged visitation and shot and killed the stepfather and then turned the weapon on himself and ended his own life in front of his four children," Jones said Monday.

Turk's body remained on the scene during the investigation while Kroening was transported from the scene by ambulance.

The four children are now safe with family, Jones said.

Police opened Decoursey Avenue two hours after the shooting but Daniels Street directly south of Dairy Queen remained closed as of 8:20 p.m.

A crowd of spectators remained circled around all sides of the DQ speculating about what happened. The popular Dairy Queen was closed immediately following the shooting.

The children were removed from the scene and taken to a safe place, The River City News was told.

More information on this developing story will be posted here as soon as it is available. Join the conversation at The River City News Facebook & Twitter pages.

Story & photos by Michael Monks, editor & publisher of The River City News