Cops: Family of 5 Dead in Horrific Murder-Suicide

Officers were horrified to find the bodies of a family scattered around an upscale home outside Minneapolis today in what appears to be a grisly murder-suicide, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. “There’re no words to describe it,” police chief Mike Siitari says. “This is a tough one to handle.” The bodies of two adults and three teenage children, all suffering from traumatic injuries, were found in various rooms throughout the house in the small town of Greenwood on Lake Minnetonka. Officers were checking on the family after they had not been seen at work or school in two days. Police are not currently releasing names, causes of death, or who they believe is responsible.

But the Star Tribune identifies the family as Brian and Karen Short and their three children—a 17-year-old son and daughters ages 14 and 15. Records show the Shorts bought the house for $2 million in 2011, and a friend tells the paper the youngest Short daughter hadn't been seen at school or a soccer game. The AP reports Brian Short founded AllNurses.com. His bio on the site states he lives outside Minneapolis with his wife and three children. According to the Star Tribune, officers found a small dog alive at the home before stumbling across the five bodies one at a time. Siitari calls the scene "unspeakable" and says he's never seen anything like it in 30 years of policing. According to the AP, he does not believe the community is in any danger. (More murder-suicide stories.)