STATESVILLE – Two people are dead and another is injured after a shooting in Iredell County on Saturday. The suspect is also dead after police said he initiated an hours-long standoff which ended with deputies reportedly shooting him.

Deputies initially responded to a home in the 100 block of Home Drive near Mooresville in reference to shots being fired. There, they found two people dead and another critically injured, all from gunshot wounds, according to a release from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office. The three victims were found restrained and bound.

Detectives identified 39-year-old Justin Michael Strawser as a suspect in the shooting and proceeded to his home, located in the 1500 block of Oswalt Amity Road, Cleveland. When they approached the home, Strawser pointed a gun at them, the release stated. He then allegedly barricaded himself inside the home and began firing at the deputies with an AR-15 rifle.

Deputies then reportedly surrounded the home and the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team responded to the scene. While negotiators attempted to get Strawser to leave the home, deputies learned that there were four juveniles inside the home, the release said. The juveniles allegedly refused to cooperate with rescue attempts by the deputies.

During the next several hours, Strawser responded by firing at the deputies each time they attempted to get him to come out of the home, according to the release. During that time, Strawser allegedly made statements to the negotiators about his involvement in the murder.

Law enforcement then reportedly used gas on the residence, at which point the juveniles fled. Strawser then allegedly exited behind the juveniles while firing at the deputies, who reportedly returned fire and killed him. Strawser was pronounced dead on scene by Iredell County EMS.

The release identified the homicide victims as 22-year-old Eduardo Cordova, a Mooresville resident, and 24-year-old Caleb Loper, a Lincolnton resident.

Detectives believe that the murders were not a random home invasion. The release states that the victims and Strawser knew each other and that narcotics and robbery are possible motives.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the officer-involved shooting and three deputies that were involved were placed on administrative leave, which the release states is policy for the sheriff’s office.