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Children unharmed in home after 3 dead adults discovered

Posted at 9:20 AM, Feb 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-16 12:17:17-05

RICHMOND, Va. -- A death investigation is underway after the bodies of three adults were discovered in a Richmond apartment Thursday morning. While the names of the victims have not yet been released, Richmond Police Chief said the bodies were that of a man and two women.

"We are in the early stages of a death investigation," Chief Alfred Durham said outside the Oliver Crossing Apartments along the 1300 block of Coalter Street. "It appears we are not looking for any suspects."

Law enforcement sources told CBS 6 Crime Insider Jon Burkett that the situation appeared to be a domestic-related double murder-suicide. Police have not yet officially confirmed that Crime Insider source information.

Two children, under the age of five, were inside the apartment when the bodies were discovered at about 8:30 Thursday morning.

"They were unharmed," Chief Durham said. "They are secure at police headquarters, waiting for someone to come and take care of them."

Richmnd Police Chief Alfred Durham

Richmnd Police Chief Alfred Durham

There have been more than a dozen homicides in Richmond so far in 2017.

"At some point, folks have to be tired this. At some point those folks who are out here creating this crime have to say, 'when are we going to stop being stupid," Chief Durham said. "This has to stop. This is not the City of Richmond. We experienced this 20 years ago and we don't want to go back to where we were then."

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who also responded to the crime scene, echoed the chief's comments.

"It's a tough day. You never want to have to come out to a scene of anything of this sort. My heart goes out to the children who were on the scene and I hope that they are in the best care after something like this has happened," the mayor said. "The chief is doing everything he can and we have to do everything we can. This seems to be, once again, a senseless act, but something that's not random."

He asked community members to reach out to police and provide information when needed.

This is a developing story.

Witnesses can submit a news tip here.

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