Alaska State Troopers: 15-year-old kills 3 siblings, himself

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — A 15-year-old boy shot and killed three siblings at a home near Fairbanks and was found with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, Alaska State Troopers said.

The troopers, in a statement, said they received a report of shots being fired on Tuesday afternoon at a Fairbanks home. Responding troopers found four children who had died from apparent gunshot wounds. The children’s parents were not home at the time, the troopers said.

Three other children were at the house and not injured, the statement said. Tim DeSpain, a troopers spokesperson, said the children who were not injured are all under the age of 7. He said all the children were siblings.

He said the children who are dead were ages 5, 8, 17 and 15.

Troopers said their investigation shows a 15-year-old boy shot three siblings and then shot himself. DeSpain said the question of motive is part of the investigation.

The bodies were being sent to the state medical examiner’s office.

DeSpain said the gun was a “family gun but beyond that, it’s all still part of the ongoing investigation.”