Tragic news broke late Wednesday afternoon when multiple Duluth area media outlets, including our partners at WDIO-TV reported that five people had been found dead inside a home in Duluth's East Hillside neighborhood. The people are believed at this time to be related. A dog was also found deceased inside the home.

Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken provided an update Wednesday, stating the discovery came after an earlier request that police check on someone in Hermantown. That led to a report of a male experiencing a mental health crisis in Duluth.

After further investigation of the male in question, Duluth Police were led to a home in the 700 block of East 12th Street. Duluth Police also learned the male did have access to weapons, so they requested additional assistance at that residence from other law enforcement agencies.

Personnel from the Duluth, Superior, and Hermantown police departments, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, St. Louis County Social Services, DPD CORE Unit, and Mayo Ambulance were on the scene.

After a methodical search of the premises, officers were able to gain access to the home and it was then that they made the gruesome discovery, which Chief Tusken called an "unimaginable tragedy that struck our community."

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Duluth Police held a press conference late Wednesday afternoon to provide an initial update on the investigation and discovery.

The names of those found dead have not yet been released because family members are still being notified. Chief Tusken added they do not believe there is a threat to public safety at this time.

More information is expected to be released Thursday as the police investigation into this matter remains active and ongoing.

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