Eight members of a family, including six children aged between 5 and 15, were found dead inside a house in Michigan after firefighters responded to a suspicious blaze, authorities said.
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Investigators are probing whether the incident was a murder-suicide, though officials stressed it is too early to conclude.
Police and firefighters were called to a home in Grand Haven Township, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, just before noon on Friday after reports of a fire. When emergency crews entered the residence, they found eight bodies inside.
Some victims had gunshot wounds
According to CNN, Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Captain Jacob Sparks said some of the victims had gunshot wounds, but declined to specify how many or confirm the exact cause of death.
"It’s a complicated scene, a complex scene," Sparks said, adding that autopsies had been scheduled.
Authorities have not yet formally identified all of the victims.
Murder-suicide one of the theories under investigation
Officials described the fire as "suspicious" and said there is reason to believe it was intentionally set. While investigators are examining the possibility of a murder-suicide, Sparks cautioned that it remains only one of several working theories.
"I can tell you that's one theory that we have and we're still looking to see if we can verify that," he said.
Investigators also said they are not looking for any outside suspects at this stage, and everyone believed to have lived in the home appears to be among the deceased.
Michigan State Police join investigation
The Michigan State Police's arson investigation team is assisting the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office in determining the cause of the fire and the sequence of events leading to the deaths.
Grand Haven Township, where the incident occurred, is a community of about 18,000 residents located roughly 25 miles west of Grand Rapids.
Neighbours in shock
Residents described the family as friendly and well-known in the neighbourhood. Speaking to local media, neighbour Scott Fischer said he was devastated by the tragedy, recalling that the mother would always wave. At the same time, the father was often seen mowing the lawn and the children frequently played outside.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and more details will be released after the victims are identified and post-mortem examinations are completed.
