A 36-year-old RCMP constable is in custody Saturday after police arrested him for allegedly killing his wife.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team was called out around 7 a.m. to the Jackson Heights home to investigate the homicide. Clifton Purvis, Executive Director with ASIRT, confirmed the suspect was arrested at a location that was not his home.

The victim and suspect's names are not being released until the next of kin have been notified.

The accused had been a Mountie for about seven years. RCMP say he was not on-duty at the time of the killing.

"The member did have his service weapon at home," said Assistant Commissioner Peter Hourihan, "K" DIVISION. "His job required him to have that for operational purposes and on-call purposes."

ASIRT and the RCMP would not say how the victim died but neighbours tell CTV News they heard several gunshots in the early hours of the night.

"I heard like bang bang, seven to eight times," said Vikas Kwatra. "I was just thinking it was a neighbour early in the morning, nailing something, maybe nailing the fence."

The couple has two boys; police confirmed they were not at home at the time of the killing. They are in the care of family members. Neighbours say the family has lived at the home for about a year before putting it up for sale about a month ago.

"I don't know what happened," said Kwatra. "They were a happy family. We used to meet with them, walking over there and say hello."

Other neighbours say they're shocked something like this could happen, especially involving a member of the RCMP.

It's disappointing and it's really sad because that's one of the parties that we got to know a little more so than the rest of the family," said Hilda Shaw. "He seemed like a very pleasant person."

ASIRT is in charge of the investigation with Edmonton Homicide assisting. The agency investigates incidents or complaints involving police officers.

An autopsy has not been scheduled yet for the victim. Police say charges have not been laid yet.

With files from CTV's Sean Amato