New year's day massacre leaves three dead

A depressed man holding a license for six guns, shot dead his partner and two other women in a tragic incident dubbed the 'New Year's day massacre'. He then turned the gun on himself. The dead man, named locally as Michael Atherton, is believed to have carried out the shootings and to have been a licensed holder of firearms. The bodies of the 42-year-old man and the three women were found near one anoher in the semi-detached house in Greenside Avenue, Peterlee. They were related and police are not looking for anyone else as part of their inquiry. Escape Police said on Monday that a teenage woman who suffered minor injuries escaped through an upstairs window, and there were other people in the house at the time who also survived, including a man who was initially arrested, but later released without charge. Drenched in blood and hysterical, Laura McGoldrick, 19, clambered out of an upstairs window and pounded on the door of a neighbour’s house in a desperate attempt to get help. Police arrived at the scene just after midnight to find four bodies in close proximity in the ground floor of the small, three bedroomed home. All were confirmed dead at the scene. Atherton had a shotgun lying at his side. All the victims were adults and are believed to be related. Police said one female victim was in her 20s and the two other females were in their 40s. Three others survived the massacre - including the teenage girl who had shotgun pellets removed from her wrist and shoulder before being released from hospital. Officers were called after shots were fired shortly before 11.45 on Sunday night. Durham Assistant Chief Constable Michael Banks said: "Our information within those numerous messages was that several people had been shot. Gunshot wounds "The police were dispatched to the scene and shortly after midnight, as our officers entered the house, it was discovered that a man and three women were dead in the house. It is our belief at this stage that they died of gunshot wounds." Mr Banks said the 40-year-old man who had been found dead "may be a member of a gun club". Senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, said other people in the house at the time were being interviewed. He said the man who was initially arrested and then released was being treated as a significant witness. Mr Goundry added: "I'm keeping an open mind, but I do believe at this point that it's the 40-year-old (who was the gunman). I need to know exactly what has gone on inside the house and that will take the rest of today and tomorrow to complete all the inquiries with potential witnesses.