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The Cottonwood subdivision in Harlingen, is a typically quiet and peaceful retirement community.

However, all that changed Sunday afternoon, as bullets rang on the 1300 block of Maple Avenue.

The incident left 87-year-old Price Robinson Perrin - identified as the shooter - dead, and his 82-year-old wife hospitalized.

Police say she was shot once in the chest.

Monday officers surveyed the area of the shooting as neighbors tried to make sense of what happened.

"As the officers arrived at the disturbance, they were told by the dispatchers that the male subject had fired shots in the air,” Sgt. Dave Osborne said. “When they arrived, they actually witnessed the suspect shoot his wife."

Police have not determined a motive, but according to some neighbors, Perrin, a World War II veteran, may have been upset because family members had put some of his guns away, and he wanted access to them.

The argument moved outside the home, where witnesses claim they saw Perrin's step-daughter pleading with him to let her mother leave.

A neighbor drove-up, hoping to get the elderly woman out of harm's way.

However, they said, when the victim headed towards the car, Perrin shot at her, striking her in the chest.

"The victim is very fortunate to be shot point blank, and to be able to survive," Osborne said.

Responding officers repeatedly gave Perrin orders to drop his weapon, they said, but the armed man responded with gunfire.

"The officers were left with no choice but to return fire,” Osborne said. “One of the rounds fatally struck Mr. Perrin. As the shooter was firing at the officers, another officer approached him through the side. At approximately 15 to 20 yards away he began to shoot at the suspect."

Police reveal that only one of the three responding officers shot eight rounds, with a 40-caliber handgun.

Although only one bullet struck the man, it was fatal.   

Osborne adds family violence calls are some of the most dangerous, and the officers responded accordingly.

"Our goal at the time that anyone is shooting at someone, or we have an active shooter, (as) in this case, is to stop the killing and to stop the shooter," Osborne said.

The three officers involved in this incident are on administrative leave, as is standard procedure, while the case is reviewed.