AURORA, Colo. - Four people are dead including the gunman, inside of an Aurora townhome early Saturday morning.

Police used tear gas to try and get a gunman out of the townhome then went in about 8:30 a.m. and found the gunman dead.

According to Aurora Police Sgt. Cassidee Carlson,  three people were found dead in the townhome.  They are believed to be family members of the gunman.  A fourth person was found unharmed.

The first report of the gunshots came in around 3 a.m., from neighbors.  Officers were sent to the 16000 block of E. Ithaca Place where they determined someone was barricaded inside one of the townhomes.  That is near Buckley Road and Hampden Avenue.

"We have strong reason to believe that he is armed," Calson said earlier. 

7NEWS Photojournalist Eric Goody reported that around 8:30 a.m. he heard several loud bangs as the SWAT team deployed tear gas into the apartment. 

"A negotiator has been in contact with the gunman throughout the morning, but at random times he would hang up," Goody said, as the standoff continued earlier.

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

Some of the evacuees were wrapped in blankets as they were taken to the fire station at the intersection of East Hampden Avenue and East Hampden Circle.

Because the suspect was believed to be dangerous, Carlson said the SWAT team used  the "utmost caution." Additionally, neighbors were alerted to the situation through emergency notification telephone calls and several of the nearby homes were evacuated for safety.

Hampden Road was shut down in both directions from Kalispell Street to Laredo Street, because of police activity..

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