Teen confesses to killing all 5 family members, including 3 young children, in Alabama home: Authorities

A 14-year-old confessed to shooting and killing his entire family at their Alabama home late Monday night, including his 5-year-old sister and two brothers, who were 6 years old and 6 months old, police said.

The victims also included his father, John Sisk, 38, and Mary Sisk, his 35-year-old stepmother, the spokesman for the Limestone County Sheriff's Office, Stephen Young, said at a press conference Tuesday.

The teenager called authorities late on Monday to say he had heard gunshots while in the basement, prompting a police response. When police arrived at the home in the town of Elkmont, the boy, who has not been identified, said he had run out of the home after hearing the gunshots.

However, investigators later discovered "enough discrepancies" in his statement, and called him in for further questioning.

The teenager then confessed to killing all five members of his family with a 9mm handgun, according to Young.

The teen is facing five counts of juvenile murder charges, but could eventually be charged as an adult.

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. Three of the family members were found dead at their home, while two others were airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition, where they later died, according to the sheriff’s office.

The teen assisted investigators in recovering the handgun, which authorities say he tossed after the killings. Later on Tuesday, investigators said they had located the handgun by the side of a road.

It was not immediately clear who the gun belonged to or how it had been obtained. Young said the handgun was in the home illegally.

Officials at Elkmont High School asked for prayers for the school and community.

Young called the killings a "tragedy."

"Unfortunately we are here to discuss a tragedy on a scale that we are not used to here in Limestone County," Young said at the press conference. "It's important that you understand this is a community that has a lot of healing to do right now."