A 33-year-old Vancouver Island man is dead and his 18-old-brother is in police custody following an early morning incident at the brothers' Campbell River home.

Police allege the 18-year-old assaulted his older brother, who was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.

Campbell River RCMP Sgt. Craig Massey said the investigation is just getting underway and he was unable to release the cause of death or other details about the incident.