HALL COUNTY, GA. — The Hall County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Thursday morning, June 27, 2019, deaths of a man and his two-year-old son in a murder-suicide off of Poplar Springs Road.
Sheriff’s deputies initially responded at approximately 12:30 a.m. to 4800 block of Poplar Springs Road in reference to a man assaulting a 23-year-old woman and leaving the residence with the couple’s two-year-old son.
Deputies began to search the area for the suspect, Christian Castro, 24, and the child, Christian Castro Jr. They spotted Castro’s vehicle entering a property at 4700 block of Poplar Springs Road, which is adjacent to his residence.
As deputies approached the car on foot, Castro fired several gunshots at them, but no one was injured. Deputies could see Castro’s son sitting on his lap in the car. A perimeter was then established around the area.
Castro remained in the car for an extended period of time, driving around in a pasture area. A Sheriff’s Office hostage negotiator made numerous attempts to contact Castro by phone without success.
At approximately 3:30 a.m., deputies heard gunshots coming from Castro’s vehicle. Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team members immediately approached the car and discovered that Castro had shot and killed his son, then turned the gun on himself.
Out of concern for the safety of the child, no shots were fired by law enforcement during the duration of the incident.
Both bodies were transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory for autopsy. The incident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
