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13 April 2011
Last updated at 14:11 ET
A 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man have died as a result of gunshot wounds in Moray.
The pair were found at a house just off the A939 road near Tomintoul at around 1845 BST on Tuesday.
The family of the girl, Sophie Taylor, said they were "devastated" by her loss. The man has been named locally as Callum Murray.
Grampian Police said they were not looking for anyone else over the incident.
Ms Taylor was in her fourth year at Speyside High School in Aberlour and due to sit her Standard Grade exams in a few weeks' time.
In a statement her parents David, 41, and Katie, 44, and brother David, 18, said she was working towards becoming a social worker.
"Sophie was bright and bubbly and loved spending time with her family and friends. We are immensely proud of her," the statement added.
"We are a close family who will miss her very much and are completely shocked to have lost her so prematurely."
Callum Murray was understood to be a trainee gamekeeper who was also local to the area.
'Isolated incident' About 30 officers from Grampian Police are involved in the inquiry.
The scene was cordoned off, and the A939 closed between Tomintoul and the Lecht Ski Centre.
Det Insp Stewart Mackie said: "Grampian Police received a call from the Scottish Ambulance Service in relation to an incident in Tomintoul whereby two people - one male and one female - were shot dead.
"Officers attended the scene alongside paramedics and both injured parties were pronounced dead a short time later.
"This incident will shock the community both within Tomintoul and Grampian as a whole."
He added: "The safety of the people within Grampian is at the forefront of all our investigations and we would like to reassure the local community that this is an isolated incident.
"Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the two deaths are at an early stage, however, it is important to stress that we are not looking for any third party at this point.
"A team of around 30 detectives are working on this investigation, and they are being supported by forensic teams.
"Fingertip searches are being carried out at the locus and our focus at this time is to piece together a timeline of the events which led us to this point."
'Sorely missed' Ella Grant, depute head at Speyside High School, said Ms Taylor had been working hard to prepare for her exams.
She said: "The news of this tragic loss has deeply shocked and saddened us all.
"Sophie was well liked, both by her fellow pupils and by the staff and she will be sorely missed.
"She was a credit to herself, her family and the school. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Sophie's family at this very sad time."
Local councillor Fiona Murdoch said: "It seems like a terrible tragedy.
"For two young people to have died is absolutely horrendous, whatever the circumstances may be."
And local man Dru McPherson told BBC Scotland: "Everyone in the community is shocked.
"To lose two so young is hard for any community."
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The pair were found at a house just off the A939 road near Tomintoul at around 1845 BST on Tuesday.
The family of the girl, Sophie Taylor, said they were "devastated" by her loss. The man has been named locally as Callum Murray.
Grampian Police said they were not looking for anyone else over the incident.
Ms Taylor was in her fourth year at Speyside High School in Aberlour and due to sit her Standard Grade exams in a few weeks' time.
In a statement her parents David, 41, and Katie, 44, and brother David, 18, said she was working towards becoming a social worker.
"Sophie was bright and bubbly and loved spending time with her family and friends. We are immensely proud of her," the statement added.
"We are a close family who will miss her very much and are completely shocked to have lost her so prematurely."
Callum Murray was understood to be a trainee gamekeeper who was also local to the area.
'Isolated incident' About 30 officers from Grampian Police are involved in the inquiry.
The scene was cordoned off, and the A939 closed between Tomintoul and the Lecht Ski Centre.
Det Insp Stewart Mackie said: "Grampian Police received a call from the Scottish Ambulance Service in relation to an incident in Tomintoul whereby two people - one male and one female - were shot dead.
"Officers attended the scene alongside paramedics and both injured parties were pronounced dead a short time later.
"This incident will shock the community both within Tomintoul and Grampian as a whole."
He added: "The safety of the people within Grampian is at the forefront of all our investigations and we would like to reassure the local community that this is an isolated incident.
"Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the two deaths are at an early stage, however, it is important to stress that we are not looking for any third party at this point.
"A team of around 30 detectives are working on this investigation, and they are being supported by forensic teams.
"Fingertip searches are being carried out at the locus and our focus at this time is to piece together a timeline of the events which led us to this point."
'Sorely missed' Ella Grant, depute head at Speyside High School, said Ms Taylor had been working hard to prepare for her exams.
She said: "The news of this tragic loss has deeply shocked and saddened us all.
"Sophie was well liked, both by her fellow pupils and by the staff and she will be sorely missed.
"She was a credit to herself, her family and the school. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Sophie's family at this very sad time."
Local councillor Fiona Murdoch said: "It seems like a terrible tragedy.
"For two young people to have died is absolutely horrendous, whatever the circumstances may be."
And local man Dru McPherson told BBC Scotland: "Everyone in the community is shocked.
"To lose two so young is hard for any community."
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