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[size=2]NEWPORT, Ky. (AP) - A Newport man with family problems allegedly snapped Tuesday morning and went on a shooting rampage that left three people dead, police said.

Mike Richardson is charged with shooting his wife, his daughter, his daughter's boyfriend when he came home during a morning work break, Newport Police Officer Tom Collins said. Police said Richardson also shot the family dog before turning himself in after an hourlong standoff with police.

Richardson, 45, is charged with three counts of murder in the deaths of his wife, Joyce; his daughter, Sunshine, 18; and her boyfriend, 17-year-old Phillip Leslie.

Richardson left his job at Coral Graphics, a printing company, at around 3 a.m. saying he was going to get some lunch, Collins said.

Richardson returned home where neighbors said they heard gunshots around 5:45 a.m.

Collins said Richardson told police during interviews later that some family problems had been growing for some time and he just "snapped."

Following the shooting, Richardson called his son, Michael Richardson Jr., in Bellevue and his employer in Erlanger to tell them what had happened. Both called police, who arrived at the scene around 6:30 a.m. and negotiated with Richardson before he surrendered peacefully.

Jesse Johnson, director of manufacturing at Coral Graphics, said Richardson had worked at the company for several years.

"We're cooperating with local authorities in the investigation," Johnson said. "We're certainly very saddened by the horrific events."

Neighbors stood in their driveways and watched as officers processed the scene around the small brick house during the morning and early afternoon. The sidewalk was still lined with candy cane lawn ornaments from the Christmas holiday two days before.

There was a basketball hoop in the driveway and two cars, including a green Honda Civic with a "God Bless Our Troops" sticker on the trunk.

Neighbors say the Richardsons were a quiet family who'd lived in the neighborhood for over a decade.

Patty Honebrick, who worked at a local McDonald's with the three victims, said she was shocked when she received a phone call from her daughter telling her to turn on the television.

"They seemed like a happy family," Honebrick said. "I worked with Joyce on the grill and she trained me. She was a sweet lady."

Honebrick said the last time she saw the elder Richardson, he gave her a hug and told her to take care of herself.

Sunshine Richardson was a senior at Newport High School and Leslie was a junior there. Collins, who is Newport High's school resource officer, said Sunshine and Leslie had been dating for some time.

Another neighbor, Tim Bowman, considered the Richardsons friends.

"When I learned it was a triple homicide it really hits home. I thought about the times my daughter spent the night there," Bowman said.

Collins said police were fortunate to talk Richardson out of the house considering the number of weapons they found stashed inside, including a 50-caliber rifle on a tripod in the living room aimed at the front door.

"As bad as things are, they could have been a lot worse," Collins said.


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