The Iredell County Sheriff's Office is investigating after officials said a man killed his two young sons overnight before turning the gun on himself.

Sheriff Darren Campbell said 31-year-old Shawn Fuller killed his two sons, ages 3 and 4, before attempting suicide. He was flown to Carolinas Medical Center Main with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities were called to a home on Trent Road, just east of Statesville, around 3:30 a.m. Investigators originally told Channel 9 that they were responding to a domestic violence call.

The caller said a man was firing a weapon and was intoxicated.

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When deputies arrived they found Fuller outside the front door with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Campbell said Fuller had been drinking and got into an altercation with the boys' mother. She fled the house, and that's when the sheriff said Fuller shot the two boys.

Deputies said they found the brothers in the living room.

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Neighbors were stunned by the tragedy.

"What?? You've got to be killing me, those little boys. Good God a mercy," neighbor Delmas Smarl said.

The sheriff has not released any further information surrounding this case.

Check back with WSOC-TV for updates to this story.