3 children among 5 found shot to death inside Maryland home: "Horrific day"

Two adults and three children were found shot to death Friday at a Maryland house after a man called 911 from the home to report a shooting, authorities said.

The Cecil County Sheriff's Office identified the victims on Saturday as parents Marcus Edward Milligan, 39, and Tara Devina Ricker Milligan, 37, and their three children: Teresa Milligan, 14; Nora Milligan, 11; and Finn Milligan, 8.

Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams previously said the five victims were found Friday morning in a large two-story home in Elk Mills. Authorities said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The shooting occurred on a cul-de-sac in an area of residential streets interspersed with wooded areas about 60 miles northeast of Baltimore and a few miles west of the Delaware state line.

"It's a horrific day, and I know everybody's prayers are appreciated. ... My phone hasn't stopped ringing from people concerned about this and upset about this," Adams said.

"It's grief is what it is at this point," Adams said. "Anytime you have a loss to these levels. Any loss is terrible, but a loss to this level, which is not a common thing - it's certainly not a common thing here in Cecil County - it's tragic and terrible and it takes a long time for people to process."

Deputies were called to the home just after 9 a.m. by a man who said three children and a woman had been shot and killed, Holmes said.

Officials said the call was "very short" and that the man hung up, CBS Baltimore reported. Multiple return calls made back to the residence went unanswered. 

Deputies made entry to the home and also found a man dead. A semi-automatic handgun was located near the dead man.

The sheriff declined to say what the motive might have been. He said that his office has no records of deputies responding to calls at the house.

The bodies were in different locations in the house. Video from the scene showed the home with cream siding and red shutters and a detached garage surrounded by police tape. Numerous law enforcement vehicles were at the scene.

A search and seizure warrant has been executed at the house and the investigation is ongoing, CBS Baltimore reported.

Cecil County Animal Services was on the scene for a dog and two cats at the residence. CBS Baltimore posted a video of a dog being led away from the crime scene.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.

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