Eight people , including 5 children , were found shot and killed in the town of Enoch in southwestern Utah. This was reported by the American media citing the local authorities.

The tragedy occurred yesterday evening: the police found the lifeless bodies of the victims inside their home in Enoch , which is located about 245 miles south of Salt Lake City. Local officials have not released further details.

"At the moment we do not believe that there are suspects at large ", reads a statement from the authorities who have not disclosed other details on the deceased or the circumstances of the shooting.

“We don't know why it happened and we won't guess, we will continue to investigate , examining all possible details , making available all the information that can come out of what happened inside the house. We will have more information as it comes along,” said Rob Dotson, Enoch City Administrator.

The massacre shocked the town which has just 8,000 inhabitants .

The school authorities would have alerted the police after noticing that the five children, all pupils of the Iron County School District, had not been present at school for a couple of days .

The investigations continue .

(Unioneonline/vl)