Three men were shot and killed and a woman injured in a domestic incident at a home in Whitfield County, Ga., on Thursday night, authorities said.

The shooting was at 1571 Rainbow Circle, off of Lower Kings Bridge Road, just northeast of the community of Dawnville.

Officers were called to the house just after 8:30 p.m. following a report of shots fired. Sheriff Scott Chitwood said 20-25 shell casings were found at the residence.

Authorities said the boyfriend of the female occupant of the residence had been drinking and had been told earlier in the day to leave a birthday party. He returned with a gun and began shooting.

He was identified as David Dwight Hartline of Summerville, Ga. He was among those killed in the shootout.

Also killed were the ex-husband, Kenneth Simonson of Cleveland, Tn., and the father of resident Mindy Bullard, Edward Henry Manz III, 61, of Chattanooga. It was apparently Mr. Manz who returned fire and fatally shot Hartline.

Ms. Bullard, 35, hid her five children in an attic crawl space. However, family members said the children witnessed much of the terrifying incident.

Hartline made his way upstairs and began choking Ms. Bullard before she was able to get away.

Ms. Bullard escaped by going out an upstairs window. She shattered her ankle in a fall after being shot by Hartline on the roof. She was shot twice in the legs.

Hartline also died at the scene.

Ms. Bullard, who had been dating Hartline for six months and was reportedly trying to break up with him, made a 911 call prior to the shooting - pleading for help and saying there was a man with a gun at her home.

Officers responding to the scene said they first found Ms. Bullard in the yard. They then went inside and found Mr. Manz dead in the laundry room with several bullet wounds. The body of Hartline was found at the bottom of the staircase leading upstairs. Mr. Simonson was found in an upstairs bedroom on the floor beside a bed. He was still alive, but died after being rushed to Hamilton Medical Center.

The police report says:

On 08/26/2010 around 2044 hours, myself (Officer W.D. Green), Whitfield County Sgt. Clay Pangle (badge#352), and Whitfield Co. Deputy Gerald Cooley (badge#34) responded to a disturbance at the offense location. The 911 Center stated that a female had called from the offense location stating a male was inside the residence with a gun and he was going to shoot her. The 911 Center stated shots fired were heard moments later.

I attempted to make contact with a male juvenile at 1747 Rainbow Circle, Dalton, Ga., 30721, who was reported to have been at the offense location when the incident occurred. Upon approaching the residence I saw a female on the ground at the backside of the residence and she states she had been shot in the leg and needed help. The female was moved from her location to Rainbow Circle Road where Whitfield County Fire Department treated for her injuries.

The residence of 1751 Rainbow Circle was cleared and upon entry of the residence, a white male was found in the laundry room with a handgun close to him. A white male was also found at the bottom of the staircase with a handgun in his lap. Both male subject(s) appeared to be deceased at the time. There was also another male found upstairs with gun shot wounds that was transported by Whitfield E.M.S. to Hamilton Medical Center. The residence was made secure and the investigation was turned over to Whitfield County Detective Scott Lance (badge#213).