Five people in a family were killed Friday in Weining County of southwestern Guizhou Province, local police said Saturday.

Police found the bodies of Deng Zhaoxiang, 40, and his four children, including two daughters and two sons aged between 6 and 11, after residents in the Lushan village reported their deaths at 11:15 p.m. Friday, said a police spokesman surnamed Teng.

The five people were hacked to death. The father was killed outside the door of their home, while the children were slain in bed, he added.

The police have identified a suspect after initial investigation. Motivation behind the killing spree remains unclear.

Police are hunting down the suspect and further investigating is under way, Teng said, without giving more information.