Homicide investigation launched after 3 women found dead in home in Columbus, Ohio

Authorities in Ohio launched a homicide investigation after the bodies of three women were found Saturday inside a home in Columbus.

Officers were called to a home on the city's south side just before 4 p.m. Saturday for what a 911 caller described as a medical event. Police found three women who were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police spokesman Sgt. James Fuqua.

He said the killings were considered homicides, but he did not have further details, including what led up to the killings.

In an update released on Sunday, police said that all three women had been shot and killed, CBS affiliate WBNS-TV reported. The identities of the women have not yet been released.

"Unfortunately, this is a very complex scene with the amount of victims that we have," he told reporters Saturday. "It's going to take a little bit longer to make sure that we're very careful in going through the scene meticulously so we do not miss any key piece of evidence."

He said investigators were interviewing witnesses and looking for video evidence.

Fuqua said Saturday that no suspects had been taken into custody.

"This time of year — anytime of the year it's unfortunate when someone loses their life, but particularly this time of the year during the holidays it's going to be very difficult for these victims' families to come to the grips that these family members will no longer be in their lives," Fuqua said.

WBNS-TV reported the incident marked the second fatal shooting in the city's south side within a week. On Tuesday, 45-year-old Darrell Hambrick was found suffering from a gunshot wound inside a nearby home and died at a hospital a day later. A man was arrested Saturday in connection to his death.

Columbus police declined to say whether the two homicide investigations are connected, the station reported.

In:
• Homicide
• Ohio