THE bodies of two men in their late teens and early 20s were found in a park in Banbridge, Co Down, early yesterday morning.
A legally held shotgun was found nearby, but it was not immediately clear whether the RUC intended to mount a murder inquiry.
Police were quick to point out that they did not believe there was a sectarian or terrorist motive for the deaths.
The two men, whose bodies were found at Solitude Park in the town centre, were named locally as Mr Jason Clegg, who was in his early 20s, and a teenager, Mr Shane Rooney.
A third man is believed to be helping police with their inquiries but he has not been arrested.
A large area of the park was sealed off yesterday as forensic experts carried out an examination. Postmortem examinations are expected to be carried out today.
Young people in the town often gather in the park to drink, according to local residents.
It is understood one of the dead men had gone home after a Saturday night out with his girlfriend before leaving again and going to the park. Banbridge councillor, Mr Jim Walsh, said: "I am shocked; in a town like Banbridge this has shocked everyone. I just feel so sorry for the parents."