Tragically, five family members have lost their lives, and a 17-year-old boy remains in life-threatening condition following a gruesome discovery by a relative in a home located in north central Utah.

The bodies, along with the injured teen, were found in a West Valley City residence, which is a suburb southwest of Salt Lake City, as first reported by the police on X.

Officials stated that the deceased include a 42-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman, an 11-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, and a toddler aged 2, all of whom appeared to live in the house.

Details surrounding the cause of their deaths remain unclear, but authorities are treating the case as homicides, according to West Valley City Police Department spokesperson Roxeanne Vainuku in a press conference late Tuesday night.

The spokesperson emphasized, “We do not believe there is a suspect currently at large.”

‘No indications of an emergency’

Vainuku revealed that a worried family member reached out to police on Monday, expressing concern over not hearing from a woman who lived at the residence.

On that day, officers arrived at the house and attempted to make contact. However, there was no response. Officers checked the windows and spoke with neighbors, finding no signs of an emergency or a crime, so they advised the family member to stay in touch, Vainuku explained.

When the woman failed to show up for work on Tuesday, the same concerned relative entered the garage and discovered the 17-year-old boy severely injured from a gunshot wound, leading them to promptly contact police.

Officers who responded then went inside the home and located the bodies of five individuals, as reported by the spokesperson.

As of Wednesday morning, law enforcement had not disclosed the identities of the victims, but Vainuku stated there was no apparent danger to the surrounding community.

Authorities unclear if 17-year-old is a suspect or a victim

On the night of the incident, police announced via X that they had obtained a search warrant for the home and that detectives were collecting evidence from the scene.

The 17-year-old boy was transported to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries, but detectives have been unable to speak with him yet, as Vainuku indicated.

“He has sustained a very serious injury,” Vainuku mentioned to the press. “His condition has prevented us from communicating with him. At this stage, we do not know whether he is considered a suspect or a victim in this matter.”