KANNAPOLIS — Police are continuing to investigate a shooting Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Cabarrus Department of Social Services (DSS) that has left three people dead — the two victims and the gunman.

Police say emergency services received a call reporting someone was firing a gun in the parking lot of 1303 South Cannon Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found two gunshot victims, Maria Julian-Pichardo, 45, and her daughter, Yamilaine Sosa-Julian, 19, both of Harrisburg, and were advised a Cabarrus County Sheriff’s deputy was in pursuit of the suspect.

Kannapolis police officers joined in the pursuit that moved into Rowan County where Rowan County Sheriff’s deputies also joined in the pursuit. That pursuit ended when the suspect pulled over in the 1500 block of Lower Palmer Road, Rockwell, and fatally shot himself. No police or emergency responders were injured in the incident.

The suspect was identified Rafael Lopez, 51, of the same Harrisburg address.

According to a release from Kannapolis, the investigation found that this was a domestic situation. Rafael Lopez and Maria Julian-Pichardo were married. Law enforcement and DSS began investigating a situation involving the couple on Feb. 1 following a domestic violence incident at their home while their children were present. At that time firearms were removed from the home.

On Feb. 6, Rafael Lopez was charged with a misdemeanor crime of domestic assault. He was out on a $5,000 bail. On Feb. 14 he was served with a temporary 50-B Domestic Protective Order. The two victims, Maria and Yamilaine, were at DSS this morning to meet with a social worker to further discuss the Feb. 1 incident.

The incident is still an active police investigation.