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Cops: Father fatally shoots son, 6, and self in Mass. home

FOXBORO, Mass. – Investigators say a father shot and killed his young son inside their Massachusetts home Thursday night, before unsuccessfully trying to burn the house down, and then ultimately killing himself, reports CBS Boston.

District Attorney Michael Morrissey said 49-year-old William Scaccia Jr. and 6-year-old Anthony Scaccia were each found dead from single gunshot wounds.

Gasoline was found spread around an upstairs hallway, but because the fuel was older it was not flammable enough to cause significant damage.

A neighbor who lives next door said he was awoken late Thursday by Anthony's grandmother knocking at his door, frantically asking for help. 

When the neighbor entered the house, he found the boy's body at the top of the stairs, covered in blood. 

Detectives recovered a note from the murder scene, Morrissey said. William Scaccia had multiple previous interactions with police, authorities said.

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