Horror in Utah: 5 family members, including 3 children, found dead, 17-year-old hospitalized with gunshot wound

On Tuesday, December 17, five family members, including three children, were found dead in a home in Utah. According to police, a 17-year-old was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound.

The dead included two adults, an 11-year-old boy and two girls, ages 9 and 2, said Roxeanne Vainuku, a spokeswoman for the West Valley City Police Department. It remains unclear how they died.

Shooting probably “confined to this house”

The bodies were found at the home in West Valley City, which is about 9 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. The injured teenager was found in the garage.

“Absolutely terrible. “This is something that will certainly weigh heavily on investigators in this case,” Vainuku said at a late-night press conference, according to the New York Post.

Authorities believe the shooting was “confined to this home,” Vainuku said. There is not believed to be a suspect on the run. Vainuku added that there were some challenges in communicating with him and getting more information as the 17-year-old was injured and in the hospital.

“We do not believe there is a suspect at large,” she added.

On Monday, December 16, police were alerted by a relative who attempted to contact the 38-year-old woman who lived in the house, but was unsuccessful. When officers arrived at the home, no one responded.

The next day, officers returned when the same relative found the teen in the garage. Police have spoken to neighbors and are also investigating inside the house, Vainuku said. She added that police are trying to collect evidence using things like doorbell cameras.

The police said in an X-Post that they had received a search warrant. “We obtained a search warrant for the house and investigators entered and began their investigation. Officers also surveyed the neighborhood and collected information and video evidence. At this time, we believe this incident is limited to this home,” the post said.

Of the hospitalized teenager, Vainuku said, “We don’t know at this point whether he is a suspect in this case or a victim in this case.” The victims appeared to be residents of the residence; The police knew that it was a family with two parents and four children between the ages of 2 and 17.