TISHOMINGO, OK -- A father in Tishomingo shoots his wife in front of their young children, then takes taking his own life. The attempted murder and suicide happened late Saturday night. Now the community is trying to come to grips with the crime.

"This is usually a safe neighborhood, you know, we let our kids come outside and play, there's a lot of kids that run the neighborhood,” neighbor Melissa Santi said

Five of those kids lived in the house at 601 Murray Street. Three were at home late Saturday night when an argument between their father, 40-year-old William Stracener, and mother, 30-year-old Heather Stracener, turned violent.

Mr. Stracener shot his wife with a pistol. The bullet entered her upper arm, and exited her back.

Mrs. Stracener then ran across the street to hide in her neighbor’s home. Mr. Stracener followed her and attempted to break in both the front and back doors, before smashing a double paned window.

Neighbors called police, who arrived just moments after the first shot was fired.

"I was sitting at home and noticed the cops came by, driving extremely fast. My daughter just lives up the road and I was concerned so I called her and asked her to look out the window and make sure everything was ok, and her neighborhood was pretty much surrounded by cops,” Santi said.

Police tried to reason with Mr. Stracener, but say he ran back to his front doorway, where he shot himself to death.

"We began trying to talk to him, trying to negotiate, he was holding a pistol. Officers were unsuccessful, the suspect shot himself,” Tishomingo Police Chief Shannon Smith said.

The three children were unharmed, and are now said to be with other family members.

Mrs. Stracener was flown to OU Medical Center, where she is recovering and is expected to survive.

Police say in addition to the two individuals shot last night; they were forced to shoot one of the family’s dogs after it lunged at an officer.

Police say they are now investigating where the firearm used came from.