Guilderland police confirmed Wednesday afternoon that there were four homicides. Neighbors said a Chinese family with three elementary-age children lived at the home, but police have not released the ages, gender or names of the victims.
Meanwhile, workers at a nearby Chinese restaurant mourned the victims as a family of Chinese descent that they knew as regular customers.
"Terrible. Whole family killed," said C.C. Chen, an employee at King's Wok, a Chinese takeout restaurant in the 20 Mall.
She said the owner of the restaurant, Kam Lo, who was also listed in legal documents as the owner of 1846 Western Ave., about one mile west of Crossgates Mall, was related to the victims and Lo and other relatives were being interviewed at the Guilderland police station late Wednesday afternoon.
"We just saw them yesterday," Chen said. "They always come to restaurant."
Investigators declined to discuss the details of the killings or speculate on a motive. Authorities struggled with a language barrier as they continued their investigation.
"It's very early in the investigation," said Guilderland Capt. Curtis Cox.
Curious neighbors gathered outside their homes. One neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said police described the killings as executions.
Investigators from Guilderland and State Police gathered on the lawn of the home Wednesday afternoon waiting for a search warrant to enter the house. A large town police command center mobile home was parked with several police cars at the crime scene, which was surrounded by yellow police tape. One lane of eastbound Western Avenue was shut down for several blocks around the crime scene, causing a long traffic backup.
Albany County District Attorney David Soares was at the scene and conferred with Guilderland Police Chief Carol Lawlor.
Farnsworth Middle School and Guilderland and Westmere elementary schools were locked down for about 30 minutes "out of an abundance of caution," said Marie Wiles, superintendent of the Guilderland school district.
There was no indication that students were in danger or that a suspect in the killing was in the area and most of the students, faculty and staff had already been dismissed when the 4 p.m. lockdown was put in place, Wiles said. But there were youngsters in an after-school program run by the YMCA at both elementary schools and athletic events underway at Farnsworth, Wiles said.
Wiles has been in touch with police, but has not been informed of the names of the victims and is therefore uncertain if any Guilderland school students were involved. "We will wait to hear from the police," she said. If the victims were Guilderland students, crisis teams will be in place in the schools Thursday for students who seek grief counseling.