Teenage Gunman Shoots Five Dead In US

A 15-year-old has been arrested and charged with the murders of two adults - including a chaplain - and three children at a New Mexico home.

Police said in a statement they had found the bodies of an adult male, an adult female, two girls and a boy - all dead from multiple gunshot wounds - when they arrived at an Albuquerque home late on Saturday.

The teenager is in custody and charged with two counts of murder and three counts of "child abuse resulting in death".

Detectives did not immediately release the victims' names, but law enforcement officials began offering their condolences for Greg Griego, a spiritual leader known for his work with firefighters and the 13 years he spent as a volunteer chaplain at the county jail.

Fire Chief James Breen said in a statement: "Chaplin Griego was a dedicated professional that passionately served his fellow man and the firefighters of this community. His calming spirit and gentle nature will be greatly missed."

Jail Chief Ramon Rustin said Mr Griego was instrumental in the creation of the Metropolitan Detention Centre's chaplain program and worked to get inmates integrated back into the community.

MrGriego also was a former member of the pastoral staff at Calvary, a Christian church in Albuquerque, where he oversaw the Straight Street program for jail inmates.

Lt Sid Covington, a sheriff's spokesman, said detectives were working to positively identify the five victims as well as the teenager's relationship to them.

"Right now we're to the meticulous points of processing the scene and collecting physical evidence, and this is a vast scene with a lot of physical evidence," he said.

Authorities said each victim suffered more than one gunshot wound, and several guns were found at the home, one of which was a semi-automatic military-style rifle. Investigators were trying to determine who owned the guns

The shooting came days after US President Barack Obama unveiled proposed restrictions on guns and ammunition in the wake of last month's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

On Saturday, pro-gun activists held rallies across the US to protest against the proposed measures.