'Shock to the conscience': 5 found fatally shot in home near Clinton, North Carolina

Five people were found shot to death in a North Carolina residence early Thursday, officials said.

According to a release from Sampson County Police Captain Eric Pope, officers received a 911 call around 12:40 a.m. Thursday. The individual calling said they had spoken to one of the deceased at around 11 p.m. Wednesday, and stopped by the residence after work to find the five people dead.

Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said the caller knows the homeowner, the Associated Press reported.

Pope said that county investigators, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the medical examiner's officer are investigating the incident in Clinton, a small city between Raleigh and Wilmington.

"It's gonna be a long and thorough process," Pope told WRAL News.

Victim ages range from 30s to 80s

The victims are four males and one female of various racial and ethnic identities, including Black, Hispanic and white, police said. Their ages range from 30s to 80s.

Officials are working to identify the individuals, and as of Thursday morning their connection to one another is unknown.

"Anytime you have a murder in it of itself, it is a shock to the conscience, but when you have five victims…" Pope told WRAL at the scene. "This is not normal for this community. It's not normal for any community. It should shock the conscience."

The release stated that their cause of death appears to be related to the gunshot wounds, however final cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner.

Police also clarified that they do not believe this case is related to another homicide case called into Clinton police Thursday morning, nor an officer involved shooting under investigation in Clinton.