Two brothers found dead outside of a burning house in Highland Park early Wednesday died of multiple gunshot wounds, Lake County Coroner officials said Wednesday evening.
Autopsy results showed the two men were 63-year-old Marc Austwick, of Lake Forest, and his brother, 60-year-old John Austwick, of Mundelein, Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said in a news release.
The brothers each died of multiple gunshot wounds and not the fire burning down a home in the 1700 block of Park Avenue West at 3:50 a.m. Wednesday morning, coroner officials said.
The homicide investigation started when Highland Park’s Police and Fire Departments responded to the residential structure fire and the two adult male victims were found by firefighters in the grass outside the home suffering from “suspicious injuries.”
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene while firefighters extinguished the fire, authorities said.
No other victims were located inside or outside of the home, authorities said.
Based on the victims’ injuries, Highland Park Police requested the assistance of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, authorities said.
In addition, fire and police investigators from the Illinois State Fire Marshal, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Marshals Service were spotted at the scene of the shooting.
Investigators with the task force said Wednesday afternoon the death of the two males at the home was “suspicious” and under investigation.
The Glencoe, Lincolnshore-Riverwoods, Lake Forest, Deerfield, Northbrook, Northfield, and Long Grove assisted the Highland Park Fire Department in snuffing out the fire, authorities said.
Park Avenue West between Ridge Road and Sunnyside Avenue was shut down because of the fire and the ensuing police investigation.
Based on preliminary information gathered thus far, authorities said this incident appears to be isolated and there is no threat to the community.