Army captain Leonard Egland suspected in deaths of four people found dead of self-inflicted gunshot

A massive manhunt has been launched for a man suspected of killing four people - including his former wife and her mother.

Captain Leonard Egland is also wanted for wounding two police officers after a shootout.

Egland, who has recently retued from his third deployment to Afghanistan, is suspected of shooting dead his ex-wife, her boyfriend and his young son.

Hours later he shot dead his 66-year-old mother in law as she sat in a chair at her home.

Fears that the combat veteran is on a mission to wipe out his ex-wife's family has led to police guards being placed on relatives homes.

Two police officers who tried to arrest the 36-year-old soldier were sprayed with bullets from an assault rifle.

One officer was shot in the hand while the other suffered injuries after his car windscreen was shattered by bullets.

SWAT teams are leading the hunt for the suspected killer with police waing the public to stay indoors.

Relatives of his ex-wife have been placed under police protection amid fears they are on a 'hit list' drawn up by Egland.

'He's still in the wind, armed and extremely dangerous,' said District Attoey David Heckler.

Police in Church School Road in the Buckingham Township where Egland's mother-in-law is believed to have lived

The killings began in Virginia, when Egland arrived at his ex-wife's home with his daughter.

She was inside the house when Egland shot dead his ex-wife Carrie, 36.

Her boyfriend and his young son were also gunned down. Police have not released their names.

Egland, who is based at Fort Lee in Virginia, then drove to his mother-in law's home in Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania, with his young daughter.

Barbara Ruehl, 66, was shot dead before she could get out of her chair.

After Ruehl's killing, Egland and his daughter tued up at St. Luke's Hospital in Quakertown, where he apparently tried to leave his daughter and a note that hinted at suicide.

The girl allegedly told hospital workers that 'grandmom went to heaven,' Heckler said.

Egland's mother-in-law Barbara Ruehl, 66, was shot dead before she could get out of her chair in Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania, pictured

A hospital worker confronted Egland and tried to prevent him from leaving but backed off when the soldier drew a handgun and drove off.

The orderly gave a description of Egland's black Dodge pickup truck to police, who spotted the vehicle in Hilltown Township, headed toward Doylestown.

Egland fired a semi-automatic rifle at several police officers who were pursuing him, injuring two.

He again opened fire on police after his car was spotted in Warwick Township in the early hours of Sunday moing before fleeing on foot.

Police advised residents to lock their car doors and homes and remain inside as the manhunt for the suspect continues.

At least one other relative of Egland's wife lives in the central Bucks County area and is under protection, Heckler said.

'The question is, does he have other people on his list?' Heckler said.

'If he drove up here to assassinate his mother-in-law, are there other targets?'