There are 4 dead in an Aurora townhouse, according to police on Saturday. According to early reports, there was a standoff with police using tear gas to try and get the gunman to surrender, however, the gunman was later found dead in the property.

According to Aurora Police Sergeant Cassidee Carlson, three people were found dead in the townhouse in addition to the gunman, and all four are thought to be members of the same family.

Reports of gunshots being heard at the residence were made at about 3 a.m. early on Saturday morning. It is believed that initial report came from one of the other residents from the townhouse who had managed to flee the gunfire. He reported that three people had been shot dead by the gunman at the location.

Numerous police units were dispatched to the townhouse and officers surrounded the property after it emerged the gunman had barricaded themselves in.

Negotiations then took place, but police later described the gunman as being "irrational and agitated," according to ABC News.

At about 8 a.m. local time the gunman shot at a SWAT armored vehicle, and gunfire was said to have been exchanged at that time.

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It is then believed that authorities decided to fire tear gas into the apartment to try and force a surrender by the gunman.

However, police found the gunman dead inside the residence soon after. It was not immediately apparent whether he had took his own life or whether he had been killed by the exchanged gunfire.

Aurora Police Sergeant Cassidee Carlson reported, "We've evacuated several residences in the neighboring townhomes and in the immediate area where we believed would be the most dangerous."