Excerpt: Five family members, including three children, were found dead in a Utah home, with a 17-year-old injured and hospitalised.
Five family members, including three children, were discovered deceased in a Utah residence on Tuesday. Additionally, a 17-year-old was transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound, according to police reports.
The deceased comprised two adults, an 11-year-old boy, and two girls aged 9 and 2, as reported by Roxeanne Vainuku, spokesperson for the West Valley City Police Department. The exact cause of their deaths remains undetermined.
The bodies were found in a house located in West Valley City, approximately 9 miles (14 kilometres) southwest of Salt Lake City. The injured teenager was found in the garage.
Vainuku stated during a nighttime press conference, “Absolutely horrific. This is something that certainly will weigh heavily on investigators in this case.”
Authorities do not suspect an at-large perpetrator, believing the shooting to be an isolated incident confined to the home, Vainuku added.
Communication challenges exist with the 17-year-old due to his injuries and hospitalisation, which complicates the investigation, according to reports.
A relative alerted police on Monday after being unable to contact the 38-year-old woman residing in the home. Officers visited the house but received no response.
They returned on Tuesday afternoon following the same relative’s report of discovering the injured teenager in the garage.
Police are conducting an investigation inside the home, speaking with neighbours, and examining evidence from sources such as doorbell cameras, Vainuku confirmed.
Frances Ibiefo
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