DA: Man charged with homicide after fatally shooting his in-laws in Palmer Twp.

PALMER TWP., Pa. - A man has been charged with criminal homicide and other offenses in connection with Tuesday night’s double homicide in Palmer Township.

The Northampton County DA held a press conference Tuesday at 10 a.m., where new details were released. 

Xiaomin Fei, 34, has been charged with two counts of criminal homicide, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, burglary, and two counts of possession of a weapon, according to the DA.

Fei broke into the victims' home and fatally shot them, according to police.

"It appears that the front door to the house was locked and that the suspect gained entrance by breaking a panel in the doorway as part of the front door and reaching in and unlocking the door to enter the home," said Stephen Baratta, Northampton County District Attorney.

The DA has named the victims as Robert and Gretchen Ackerman.

Robert Ackerman was pronounced dead at the scene and Gretchen was transported to the hospital, where the DA says she was likely pronounced dead in transport.

Fei has been named as the son-in-law of the two victims, according to the DA.

Police say the victim's daughter, Katherine Ackerman, and her two children were also present in the home during the shooting.

"The police were in the house, they located two children, the grandchildren of Robert and Gretchen Ackerman, and also sons of the suspect. They are 5 and 4 years old, we believe they were located in the first floor, in a room next to the area where the grandparents were found," said Baratta.

Police were called to the unit block of Glasgow Way in Palmer Township shortly before 7 p.m. for the report of a domestic disturbance. That is the address of the Highlands at Glenmoor, a 55+ community.

Dispatchers report that screaming and yelling, along with children crying could be heard on the call. 

Dispatchers say they heard two men arguing and one of the men yelled, "Think about what you are doing," and the other man responded saying, "I'm not thinking."

According to court paperwork, dispatch then received another call from a caller who said a woman came into their residence saying her husband was going to kill her and her kids.

Officers arrived on scene and said they found a man, identified as Fei, standing outside of the front door with his firearm pointed at his head.

The defendant did indicate the chance of a suicide attempt at one point," said officials.

"The police directed that the male drop his weapon. He didn't initially comply. It required several commands he finally dropped his weapon, and he was detained at that point," said Baratta.

According to court paperwork, Fei told police that he was upset because his wife served him with divorce paperwork Tuesday morning.

Fei allegedly also told police that he was upset that his wife and her parents 'locked him out of his home and kept his children from him'.

Police say Fei told them he drove to a gun shop a bought a revolver and ammunition, then drove to the Ackerman's home on Glasgow Way.

Fei allegedly told police that his wife would not let him into the home, so he took a hammer and broke a front door window, so he could reach inside and unlock the door.

According to an affidavit, Fei then entered the home where he found his wife and children along with Robert and Gretchen Ackerman inside.

Police report that Fei entered the home with the revolver, walked up to Robert and Gretchen, and shot them both in the head one time.

Police say when they arrived, they found the two victims laying in the kitchen with gunshot wounds.

Officers say that while searching the home, they heard noises coming from a closed door on the first floor. They kicked down the door and found two children, who were then taken out of the home. 

Authorities said the incident is isolated but neighbors in the area said they are still feeling on edge from the commotion.

"All of a sudden I hear a woman screaming and glass breaking, and that was coming from the house I live right next door to it," said Christina Fahrbach, a neighbor. "I was a little nervous about that. And I said, you just don't know what's going to happen."

Investigators are still looking into the motive behind the shooting.

Fei is being held at the Northampton County prison.

He has a preliminary hearing set for June 18.