Eight family members were found dead inside their west Michigan home after it caught fire, some with gunshot wounds, authorities said Friday night.
Two adults and six children, ages five to 15, were found dead after a fire had spread through a home in Grand Haven Township. Authorities called the fire and the deaths suspicious and said the incident was under investigation.
Ottawa Sheriff’s Capt. Jake Sparks addressed the media Friday evening, saying firefighters and investigators entered a smoke-filled home on the 14900 block of Riverside Trail where they found all eight people dead inside.
“Some of the victims did have gunshot wounds,” Sparks said. “We don’t have cause of death at this point.”
Sparks acknowledged that investigators have a theory that the case is a murder-suicide but said it is too early to confirm it. The family found was the family that lived in the home, Sparks said, but police are still determining the identity of every victim.
“We’re still looking to see if we can verify that,” Sparks told the media.
Investigators are also investigating whether the fire was intentionally set.
“Given the circumstances, we believe that is a possibility that the fire was intentionally set. I’m hesitant to jump to any conclusions,” Sparks said.
Asked if police were looking for an outside suspect, Sparks said no. But that could change. He declined to say whether a weapon was found.
Firefighters were initially sent to Riverside Trail, in the area of 148th Avenue and Mercury Drive in Grand Haven Township, around 8:30 a.m. Friday after calls about the smell of smoke, the release said. They did not immediately find a fire and left.
Around 11:40 a.m., there were more calls about smoke coming from a home on Riverside Trail. Dispatch traffic recordings outline a report of a house “full of smoke” and white smoke coming from a window, the release said.
Arson investigators with the Michigan State Police are assisting with the investigation.
Sparks said he appreciated the support of the community as his staff had spent most of the day on the scene investigating the incident.
“Bad stuff can happen in any community, and you know, this is a tragic event,” Sparks said. “No matter how you slice it, it’s a tragic event. I worry about the health and well-being of my responders that are out here too. And you guys having to cover this, you know, it’s a tragedy, and we’re grateful for the support of the community.”
The matter remains under investigation.
