A 15-year-old boy shot and killed three siblings at a home near Fairbanks, Alaska

In a residence outside of Fairbanks, Alaska, a 15-year-old boy shot and killed three siblings before being found dead from what seemed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities.

In a statement, Alaska State Troopers said they received a report of gunfire on Tuesday afternoon at a home in Fairbanks. According to troopers spokesperson Tim DeSpain, the neighbour made the report.

Four children who appeared to have been shot dead were discovered by responding troopers. The troopers reported that the parents of the children were not home at the time of the shooting.

Ages of the deceased children, according to DeSpain, were 5, 8, 17, and 15.

According to troopers’ investigation, a 15-year-old boy shot his three siblings before shooting himself. DeSpain stated that the question of motive is being investigated.

The state medical examiner’s office received the bodies for examination.

According to the statement, there were three additional children at the house who were unharmed. According to DeSpain, all of the children who weren’t injured were under the age of seven. All the children were siblings, he said.

The firearm was a “family gun, but beyond that, it’s still part of the ongoing investigation,” according to DeSpain.

He refused to say whether the 15-year-old had ever interacted with law enforcement before, stating that the investigation will cover that.

The state’s Office of Children’s Services had been informed, according to the troopers. The state Department of Family and Community Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Fairbanks is located in central Alaska, approximately 360 miles north of Anchorage.