RCMP is investigating the scene on Highway 2 through Claresholm after two people were found dead near the community south of Calgary early on Thursday morning.

Police were called to the scene 1 km north of the community in the northbound lanes of Highway 2 at just after 3 a.m. after gunshots was heard in the area.

RCMP investigators found two vehicles and two people, a man and a woman, dead at the scene.

There were also an additional two people who were taken to hospital in Calgary, one of whom died in hospital.

The other, a woman, is expected to recover.

All of the victims are in their 20s.

Police are investigating the relationships between the victims of the crime, but say that it appears to be a murder-suicide where the shooter shot the other victims before turning the gun on himself.

The whole highway was immediately shut down from 3 km north and 2 km south of Claresholm and have said it will likely stay closed until the evening.

Several range roads were also closed off for the investigation.

Claresholm RCMP are detouring traffic to bypass the crime scene.

STARS air ambulance did confirm that they did respond to the Claresholm hospital to transport a male patient in critical condition to the Foothills Hospital in Calgary.

RCMP are remaining tight lipped on exactly what happened on scene.

They have mentioned a domestic dispute, but they are not ruling anything out in the crime.

Residents of Claresholm are very worried about the scene and they're looking for answers.

The community is tight-knit, having a population of only 3,300 people and they have no idea if the victims were from the town or merely passing through.

Autopsies on the victims will be conducted in Calgary.

The scene continues to be investigated by units from RCMP Major Crimes and personnel from the RCMP Forensic Identification Section.