Richmond shootings that left 4 dead appear to be murder-suicide: homicide investigators

Homicide investigatorssaythe shootings that left four family members dead Monday evening in Richmond, B.C., appearto be a case of murder-suicide.

The shootings happened around 7 p.m. PT inside a multi-unit home in the 4500-block of Garden City Road, according to police, but the bodies weren't discovered until Tuesday.

Sgt.David Lee, with the RCMP'sIntegrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), saidthe victims were all from the same family:a father, 74, a mother, 58, a son, 23, and another child, 21.

Lee said preliminary investigations point to the murder-suicide hypothesis and that the 23-year-old sonwas the shooter. However, he saidconfirmation will have to wait until ballistics and autopsies have been completed.

"It's traumatic for all the neighbours involved and all the investigators," said Lee. "It was a very complex scene to deal with."

He said investigators haven't yet identified which family member was the perpetrator, but confirmed it was not the father.

He said the 23-year-old son held a legal firearms licence and had access to firearms.

A weapon was located at the sceneandballistics is working to determine whether it was the gun used in the shooting, Lee said.

"We're not looking for any additional suspects and there are no ongoing threats to the public," he said.

IHITsaid it is not releasing the victims'identities because the extended family has asked for privacy.