A 20-year-old man is in custody after York Regional Police found four people dead inside a home in Markham on Sunday afternoon.

Police received a call just before 3 p.m. “that there might be some people injured in the residence” on Castlemore Ave., just east of Mingay Ave., York Regional Police spokesman Const. Andy Pattenden said.

“When our officers arrived, they located a man at the front door, had an interaction with him and he was taken into custody,” Pattenden said.

Officers who then entered the home found the bodies of four people, he said. They weren’t transported to hospital and were all still inside the two-storey brick home hours later.

“This investigation is in the very early stages,” Pattenden said, adding the coroner is on the scene along with homicide investigators.

Pattenden said he didn’t have any information about whether there could be more suspects.

“All the resources we have at York Regional Police will be involved in this investigation,” he said, adding that a command post would be set up in the neighbourhood.

Police said the 20-year-old man remains in custody. They did not say what charges the man could face or what relationship he might have to the four victims.

The deceased have not yet been identified, and there was no immediate word on their ages or genders.

“I want to reassure everybody that this is a safe community and that we’re doing everything we can so whoever is responsible for this incident is taken before our courts.”

The area around the home was cordoned off with yellow police tape Sunday night. The front garden appears well cared for and several flower pots hung from the second-floor balcony.

Area residents gathered near the home Sunday night said it was a peaceful “close-knit community.”

Pascoal D’Souza, who lives across the street and was among those watching officers walk in and out of the home on Sunday, said it was unsettling to see such a heavy police presence in his quiet neighbourhood, where he said the residents typically “keep to themselves.”

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“It’s a shock, because you never think anything like this would happen near where you live,” he said.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen or heard anything of note to come forward. They can be reached at 1-866-876-5423 ext 7865.

With files from The Canadian Press

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