4 dead, including boy, in Santa Clarita shooting, sheriff's officials say

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- Four people are dead, including an underage boy, following a murder-suicide shooting at a Santa Clarita home Friday morning, according to Los Angeles County sheriff's officials.

The bodies were discovered just before 7 a.m. in the 28800 block of Startree Lane in a home day care center that was not conducting normal activities due to the holidays.

The four victims, who officials described as a man, two women and the boy, were pronounced dead at the scene, sheriff's officials said on Twitter.

The victims were described as a married couple in their 40s or 50s and their daughter, believed to be in her 20s, as well as a son believed to be around 11 or 12 years old.

According to Lt. Rodney Moore, investigators believe the husband shot and killed the three other victims, then turned gun on himself in a murder-suicide. A handgun was located at the scene.

Moore said investigators are not looking for any outstanding suspects in the case. Investigators had not yet determined motive in the killings, Moore said.

It was not immediately clear how long the bodies had been in the home before they were discovered. Sheriff's deputies responded to the home after they received a call for a welfare check.

Moore said no neighbors reported hearing gunshots and he had no information on why the welfare check call was made by a family friend.

A neighbor said the woman operated the day care out of her home a couple of days a week and that her husband was a driver. According to neighbors, the couple had a college-age daughter and an 11-year-old son.

A parent whose 4-year-old attended the neighborhood home day care center said it appeared to be a great place for children and he's unsure how to explain the tragedy to his son.

Officials urged the public to avoid the area as a shooting investigation remained ongoing.

Anyone with more information was encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. You may also call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS.