2 adults, 6 children found dead after shooting, house fire in West Michigan, sheriff's office says
Authorities are investigating the "suspicious deaths" of a family of eight, including six children, following a house fire Friday morning in Grand Haven Township, Michigan.
In an update Friday evening, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says a preliminary investigation showed that some of the victims had been shot, but it's unclear which victims. Autopsies are expected to be completed in the coming days.
The victims' names were not released pending positive identification, but the sheriff's office says the children were between 5 and 15 years old, and the adults were in their 40s. Investigators believe all of the victims lived in the home in the 14900 block of Riverside Trail and were related to each other.
Authorities first received calls about a smell of smoke in the area between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time. Deputies assisted the Grand Haven Fire Department, but no fire was immediately located.
The sheriff's office says deputies and fire personnel returned to the area at about 11:42 a.m. after receiving calls about white smoke coming from the residence. Fire crews were able to control the fire and checked the home for any victims, locating them inside.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff's office or Silent Observer at 877-88-SILENT or mosotips.com.
Grand Haven Area Public Schools Superintendent Kristin Perkowski said in response to the incident that, although the school is not currently in session, the district is "preparing to provide support for those who may need it."
