4 U.S. children found dead in hostage situation

A hostage situation in the U.S. state of Florida ended Monday with four children dead and a police officer wounded, according to local authorities.

Responding to a domestic violence call late Sunday, police in the Florida city of Orlando found a gunman barricading himself in an apartment with four young children.

Police barged into the apartment Monday evening after a nearly 24-hour-standoff, finding that the children, aged one, six, ten and 11, had all died.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina told a press briefing at midnight that "a short time ago we made entry into the apartment and found that all four children have been killed by the suspect by apparent gunshot wounds."

The time of the children's death is unclear, he added.

The gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Mina said.

Police have identified the shooter as 35-year-old Gary Lindsey Jr, a felon currently on probation for arson and other charges.

Two of the deceased children were believed to be his, while the other two were believed to belong to a female who called the police. The female caller had escaped from the scene early and was unharmed.

Police maintained contact with Lindsey throughout the incident after an initial unsuccessful assault on the apartment left one police wounded.

Mina said both sides contacted "about five times", but the police failed to coax the shooter to surrender.