5 Chinese dead in San Francisco house

SAN FRANCISCO - Five people were found dead in a house in the western US port city of San Francisco on Friday, in what police suspected as a gun-related murder-suicide case.

A police officer speaks to a resident as investigators survey the scene of a suspected quintuple murder-suicide at a home on 16 Howth Street near City College of San Francisco in California March 23, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The multiple-homicide was reported shortly before 8:00 am local time when a family member visited the two-story home near the City College of San Francisco and found three of the bodies, said local police.

The police, who later found two more bodies, said at least four of all five victims -- two men and three women -- were members of the same family. They are all Asians and all of them live inside the home.

Police said they believe it was a murder-suicide case and no suspect was at large.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the house is owned by software engineer Yingxue Lei and her colleagues said she did not call in on Friday.

Meanwhile, Lena Huang of San Diego told the newspaper that five members of her extended family live in the home. All of them had immigrated from China and no one is answering their phones on Friday.

San Francisco mayor Ed Lee on Friday issued a statement offering the city's condolences.

"This is a terrible tragedy," Lee said. "As the San Francisco Police Department thoroughly investigates this incident, I extend, on behalf of the city, our support and sympathy to all family members and friends of the victims involved in this crime."