Three people were shot dead and their house was set on fire in Los Angeles in a horror episode early on Saturday morning.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said deputies were called to a shooting in the Antelope Valley at 1:30am, where it is believed a party was being held.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they found the home was set ablaze, and five victims were found inside the property, four of whom had gunshot wounds.
The fifth person was reportedly found uninjured inside the home hiding in her room, and investigators told KTLA she was ‘fearing for her life.’ Three victims died, and a fourth was hospitalized.
Law enforcement subsequently released contradictory statements on the suspect, as it was initially reported by the Los Angeles County Fire Department that a suspect had been taken into custody.
However, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Steve De Jong later said authorities are not sure if the killer was actually in custody, on the run or among those deceased.
‘Right now we don’t know what caused this or what occurred,’ De Jong said. ‘So, we have some people to interview to determine if the suspect is among the deceased or is at large.’
Footage from the scene showed first responders racing a victim on a stretcher to an ambulance, and deputies reported a chaotic crime scene.
The identities of the victims of potential suspect are unclear, although officials noted that the three deceased were ‘young adults in their 20s.’
Two of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and a third died while paramedics performed CPR on them after being dragged from the home, reports the LA Times.
Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief Randy Perry said the fire at the home was extinguished by fire crews in around 10 minutes.
Detectives and arson investigators were reportedly still at the scene combing for evidence at 9am Saturday.
L.A. County Fire Chief Robert Grasska added that the investigation is ongoing and the department ‘doesn’t have a cause for the fire’ at this time.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau by calling 323-890-5500.