3 young children among 5 found fatally shot in Lake Station, Indiana home, coroner says

LAKE STATION, Ind. (WLS) -- All five people found dead inside a Northwest Indiana home on Friday have been identified.

Saturday afternoon, the Lake County Indiana Coroner said they died of gunshot wounds as the result of a murder-suicide.

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Officers were conducting a welfare check when they made the discovery around 2:44 p.m. at a trailer home in the 6700-block of 9th Avenue in Lake Station, officials said.

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The Lake County Coroner's Office said all five people, including three young children, died from gunshot wounds.

The coroner's office determined that the children, 4-year-old Alayna Payne, 6-year-old Ava Payne and 7-year-old Aurorah Payne, and a woman, 27-year-old Briana Payne, are homicide victims.

A man, 31-year-old Robert Payne, also died from a gunshot wound, and his manner of death was by suicide, the coroner said.

"On behalf of Lake County Coroner David Pastrick and the entire staff of the Lake County Coroner's Office, our hearts go out to the family of this extremely unfortunate and devastating tragedy," the coroner's office said in a statement. "Please hold your families and loved ones close as we mourn together as a community the loss of innocence."

Friends of the deceased family said they can't believe Briana Payne and her three young daughters are gone. ABC7 spoke to one of the woman's friends, Britni Meentemeyer by phone Saturday afternoon.

"Bri was... she was a kicker," Meentemeyer said. "She was funny if you were sad, even though as she would just do something so crazy to make you laugh and then talk about it later."

Police said the deaths are believed to be isolated, and there is no current threat to the public.

"It's truly heartbreaking," neighborhood resident Aimee Mikrut said. "A lot of families here, lots of kids. Everybody keeps to themselves."

Neighbor Sandy Goodman said she heard people arguing inside the home on Wednesday, but hadn't seen or heard anything from the trailer's occupants since.

"They were very nice," Goodman said. "I think that people would remember that, and those little girls were just so full of joy and happiness and playing. They were just awesome."

The violence has left many in the community devastated and afraid.

As police continue their investigation, they said the incident is isolated and there is no danger to the public.

Authorities did not immediately provide further information.