Police are currently probing the circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths of five members of a Utah family, including three children. Their bodies were discovered in their residence after a relative expressed concern about not having heard from them over several days.

Among the findings was a 17-year-old boy who appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound; he was located in the garage of the home on Tuesday. As of that evening, law enforcement officials in West Valley, a suburb of Salt Lake City, were unclear whether the teen was a victim or a suspect in the ongoing investigation. Due to the severity of his injuries, obtaining clear information from him has been challenging, according to police spokesperson Roseanne Vainuku.

Authorities indicated that they did not believe there was an active suspect at large and described the situation as being “isolated to this home,” as stated by Vainuku during a press briefing on Tuesday. Additional updates from police were anticipated for Wednesday.

The investigation began when a family member contacted authorities on Monday night, mentioning their inability to reach a woman residing in the home for several days, despite normally being in touch regularly. Officers checked the vicinity, looking through windows and conversing with neighbors but found no initial signs of a crime or emergency. Thus, they asked the concerned relative to stay in touch. Vainuku emphasized the delicate balance of respecting adults’ rights to privacy while also acknowledging family worries.

However, after the woman failed to appear for work on Tuesday, the relative entered the garage and discovered the injured teenager. This prompted an immediate call to the police. Upon their arrival, they discovered the deceased woman, a 42-year-old man, and three children—a boy aged 11, along with two girls aged 9 and 2.

Vainuku described the scene as “absolutely horrific,” noting the emotional impact this incident would have on the investigators involved.

As part of the investigation, authorities are thoroughly examining the home while also consulting neighbors and gathering evidence, including recordings from doorbell cameras. This incident marks the 38th mass killing in the United States for the year, with at least 165 individuals having died in such events, as defined by the FBI, where four or more people are killed within a 24-hour period, excluding the perpetrator.