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Updated: Jun 17, 2019 10:05 IST

Four members of a family from Andhra Pradesh were found dead with gunshot injuries inside their house in West Des Moines of US’ Iowa state on Saturday, police have said.

According to the West Des Moines Police department, the victims have been identified as Chandrasekhar Sunkara, 44, Lavanya, 41 and two boys aged 15 and 10.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Sunkara hailed from Tsunduru of Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district. He had gone to the US for higher studies and settled there along with his family. His parents are said to be living in Hyderabad. Further details are awaited.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s assistant director Mitch Mortvedt said Sunkara worked in the Iowa department of public safety’s technology services bureau.

Police said there were other family members, including two adults and two children, were living in the house as guests along with Sunkara, when the incident took place.

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“When the victims were discovered, one of the survivors ran outside looking for help. He found a person who had then called the police to inform about the suspicious deaths,” police said.

Based on the complaint from the family members, police have registered a case and are investigating. Officials said primary and technical evidence shows that no other person entered their house before the incident occurred.

According to reports, locals told the police that Sunkara was depressed and might have killed his wife and two children and later committed suicide.

Police said they all died of apparent gunshot wounds but an autopsy would determine the exact cause of death.

“This tragedy will impact family, friends, co-workers, anyone that knew this family,” sergeant Dan Wade said in a news release.

“We are continuing to work through this investigation. We will follow through until we have answered as many questions as the evidence allows. We are confident, though, that there is no continuing threat to the community,” the police said.