Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says it’s been a deadly week in his county as a result of domestic arguments.

Starting Halloween night for a 25 hour period, Judd says there were two suicides and a murder suicide, leaving four people dead and seven children without parents.

The latest incident involved Michael Manning, 43, of Lakeland, who opened fire on deputies when the arrived to check on the well being of his wife, Jennifer Manning.

Judd said Manning’s mother called from Pinellas County believing her daughter was being beaten by her husband.

When deputies arrived, they spoke to Manning in the house, but he refused to answer his door.

“At that time Deputy Coggins says there is an explosion and a shot out of the window to his right. Immediately there is another gun shot through the door to his left,” said Judd.

Neighbors say they heard the gun shots and were terrified.

“Scared, terrified. I was in the shower when they came and made all of us leave, so it was very terrifying and I’ve got young kids,” said Wisteria Flowers who lives across the street.

She knows the family involved but had a strange feeling about them.

“The only thing I know is they’ve always been kind of creepy and weird. I had been telling my kids to stay from over there, I didn’t want them to play over there because the kids don’t go to school,” said Flowers.

Just next door, Brian Wicken had to take cover with his wife, pregnant daughter and grandchildren.

“It just sounded like something hitting tin and I guess that was the shots and then about a hundred million cops come around,” said Wicken.

Sheriff Judd said Michael Manning took his own life and his children were located and are safe.

Jennifer Manning had gone to the store to buy food and when she tried to return home she saw a road block put up by sheriff’s deputies because of the dangerous nature of the shooting.

Judd says she never tried to talk to deputies or find out what was going on with the shooting.

It took sheriff’s deputies several hours to locate her.

“While this wait is protracted, she goes to sleep. Did you hear me? We found her sleeping in the car,” said Judd.