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5 dead in N.M. home shooting involving assault rifle; boy arrested

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<i>This post has been updated. See note below.</i>

Three minors and two adults were killed at a home in southwest Albuquerque in a Saturday night shooting involving an assault rifle, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department said Sunday.

An unidentified teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder and “child abuse resulting in death,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

Each victim -- a man, a woman, a boy and two girls -- had been shot multiple times, authorities said. Their ages were not given.

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KOB-TV said the suspect is 15 years old.

When deputies arrived at the residence, they discovered “several weapons” inside the home, and “multiple” guns appeared to have been used, including the rifle, the sheriff’s office said.

“There’s no other way to say it, but we have a horrific crime scene we’re working, and it’ll be intensive, and we’ll work hard to do everything that needs to be done,” Sheriff Dan Houston told KRQE-TV.

[Updated, 12:35 p.m. Jan. 20: Sheriff’s Department spokesman Aaron Williamson told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday afternoon that officials were still working to identify the victims and the owner of the guns.

Officials had not yet determined whether the victims were related to each other or to the suspect.

Williamson said police had not had any “recent history” of responding to calls at the home or the surrounding area.

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He could not elaborate on why the suspect was charged with “child abuse resulting in death,” saying the district attorney’s office came up with the charges.

He said a news conference was expected to be held Tuesday.]

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