Father suspected of killing wife, 6 kids then setting Michigan house on fire: authorities

GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A Michigan man is suspected of fatally shooting his wife and six children and then setting their house on fire, before taking his own life, authorities said Monday, calling it an "unspeakable tragedy."

The six children, who were between the ages of 5 and 15, and their parents were found dead Friday after fire personnel responded to battle a fire at their home in Grand Haven Township, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office.

All eight died from gunshot wounds, the sheriff's office said in an update on Monday following the completion of the autopsies.

The children's father, 47-year-old Kristopher Karolkiewicz, died by suicide, and the deaths of his wife, 39-year-old Amanda Karolkiewicz, and their six children were ruled to be homicides, according to the sheriff's office.

The names of the deceased children are not being released, the sheriff's office said. They included four boys -- ages 5, 11, 12 and 15 -- and two 11-year-old girls. Four of the children were biological and two had been adopted, the sheriff's office said.

"This is an unspeakable tragedy that we may never completely understand why it happened. But we'll do our best to find the answers and to honor the memory of those victims," Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Capt. Jake Sparks said during a press briefing on Monday.

Fire personnel initially responded to the area, located on Lake Michigan west of Grand Rapids, Friday morning following reports of the smell of smoke, though they were unable to locate a house fire, according to Sparks.

Several hours later, fire crews returned to the area following calls about white smoke at a residence and went inside the home to battle a fire, where they found the eight family members deceased in different bedrooms throughout the house, Sparks said.

The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation, though it is believed to have been intentionally set in several places throughout the home, with significant damage in the basement, Sparks said. The family's pets, including several dogs and at least one cat, also died in the fire, he said.

"No suspects remain outstanding and the investigation shows that this was a murder-suicide, with a fire being started after the murders," Sparks said in a press release on Monday.

Sparks said he believes the incident may have started as early as the night before. The weapon was a handgun, according to Sparks, who said he believes the firearm was registered.

The incident remains under investigation.

"We're trying to get answers for the family. We're trying to get answers for the community. We're trying to get answers for our own responders," Sparks said.

Grand Haven Area Public Schools called the incident a "tragic loss for our community."

"Our hearts are with all those impacted, and we know many throughout our community may be grieving and struggling to process this news," the office of the superintendent said in a statement Saturday.

The district also shared suicide and crisis hotline services for anyone impacted by the deaths.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can contact the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or click here for more information.