West Philly family of four found dead

After a shooting at a home in West Philly, four family members are dead. 

According to ABC, two of the family members dead were children. 

A couple did not show up for work, so officers responded to the home, which is located in 5000 block of Walton Avenue. Officials arrived at 12: 40 p.m.

Deputy Commissioner Joe Sullivan of Philadelphia Police Department told outlets on the scene, “A ladder truck granted us access to the second floor. Officers from the 18th District went inside. Once inside, they did encounter the suspect. He notified them that there were dead bodies inside.”

Officers discovered the body of a 51-year-old woman shot by the front door, a man shot by the basement door, a 17-year-old teen found shot in a bedroom, and the 6-year-old boy shot in the kitchen. They were pronounced dead. 

The identities of the deceased are unknown to the media at this time. 

Police told outlets that the family has had issues with a “mentally unstable son” in the past. 

NBC reports that the suspect was found in the bedroom on the second floor and was taken into police custody. Sullivan said that officials believe that the suspect is the son or step-son of the deceased couple. 

A weapon was recovered from the scene. 

This is an ongoing investigation.