An 11-year-old boy is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of his 5-year-old brother in Colorado, authorities said Wednesday.

The investigation was launched after Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Centennial, Colorado, around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office announced just after 2 p.m. Wednesday that investigators determined that the suspect was the victim’s brother, and that the case was being investigated as a homicide.

Deputies, who were still at the scene Wednesday afternoon, said there is no danger to the community and everyone involved in the case has been identified.

The sheriff’s office said the suspect is in custody at the Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center in Centennial and faces a charge of first-degree murder.

“Our hearts go out to the family of these two young boys and to everyone in our community who is grieving this loss,” said Sheriff Tyler Brown. “Cases involving the homicide of children are among the most difficult our deputies and investigators face. Our team is fully committed to a thorough investigation, and we will continue working tirelessly to determine exactly what happened. We know tragedies like this impact not only the family, but also classmates, teachers, and neighbors throughout the community. We appreciate the support and patience of the public as our investigators work to gather the facts and pursue justice in this case.”

The cause of death is part of the investigation, which is active and ongoing. Further details were not immediately released.

Nexstar’s KDVR was in the neighborhood on Wednesday where police were searching the area around 4 p.m. Deputies were using drones and K-9’s to search a large area in the Park View neighborhood. Drones also flew over Timberline Elementary School, which neighbors told KDVR that the victim attended.

Neighbors speak

Neighbors told KDVR they were trying to understand what was happening.

“And they [police dogs] were sniffing away, and they went around the side there where those houses are, and I couldn’t see them anymore,” neighbor Steve Day said.

Many of the neighbors who spoke with KDVR said they knew the 5-year-old child, while others said the child was often seen playing with his brothers.

Neighbors were emotional over the child’s death.

“I was praying so hard cause yesterday something happened here,” neighbor Jacqueline Johannes said.

Some residents asked how they could help.

“The little boy was so sweet. He would come over and ask my son for help to fix his scooter. He was so little and so cute. One of those people you just want to hug and help,” neighbor Louise Ramirez said.

Elementary school addresses student’s death

The principal at Timberline Elementary, Mary Bowens, sent an email notifying parents of the unexpected death of a kindergartener Wednesday. The email did not identify the student by name and said the incident was under investigation.

The principal said the school did not plan to initiate conversations about the death with students Wednesday and that teachers would contact parents or guardians of students who come to teachers with questions or concerns.

“Because this news is sensitive, we want to give parents and guardians an opportunity to speak with their students first,” Bowens wrote.

Bowens encouraged parents to have conversations with their students in the coming days and offered resources available on the district website.

Additional mental health staff was expected at the school on Thursday to support students and staff in processing the loss.

“We ask the community to honor the family’s privacy at this time. There is no right or wrong way to cope with loss, but there are some things that adults can do to help students work through this difficult time. I want to remind you how important it is to have conversations with your own child and remind them that if he or she is struggling with this loss to seek out the support of an adult,” the district wrote.

The principal also said that parents and guardians can reach out to the school for additional resources and information.