A Pembroke Park man accused of fatally shooting his partner and three of her children before turning the gun on himself has died, the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) announced Monday.
Stephen McKenzie, 34, was pronounced dead last Thursday at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, a day after the shooting unfolded inside the family’s apartment on the 3100 block of West Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
Authorities say McKenzie opened fire on his family Wednesday evening, killing his 32-year-old partner, Julie Cruz. Investigators believe he then shot and killed his two young sons, Nova and Emery McKenzie, both just 2 years old. He also shot Cruz’s older children from a previous relationship—killing 11-year-old Xion Solomon and critically wounding 8-year-old Phiinyx Solomon—before shooting himself.
The tragic scene was discovered when Pembroke Park police responded to the apartment complex. Officers found Cruz and three of the children already deceased, while Phiinyx Solomon was suffering from gunshot wounds. She was rushed to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood. Her current condition remains unclear.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has since taken over the investigation but did not immediately explain why McKenzie’s death was announced five days after he succumbed to his injuries.
Xion and Phiinyx’s father, Kelvin Solomon, described his son as a hero who tried to shield his family from the attack. “He died protecting his mother and protecting his sister,” Solomon told Local 10 News.
Authorities confirmed that McKenzie had no prior criminal record.
The investigation into the motive behind the deadly attack remains ongoing.
