Eight members of a Montana family, including four children, were killed after a man opened fire during a family dinner before the home was set on fire and the suspect fatally shot himself.
The shooting unfolded Sunday at a home outside Billings, where members of suspected gunman Alan Smith’s family were gathered for a weekly dinner. The victims ranged in age from a 7-year-old girl to a great-grandmother in her 90s.
Smith, 44, was identified by a relative and lived with his parents for years before he was asked to move out. Smith returned to the home Sunday and opened fire, according to Brad Ireland, whose former wife and two children were among those killed, the Associated Press reported. The victims included Smith’s parents, grandmother, and sister.
Authorities responded shortly after 6 p.m. to reports of a family disturbance and gunfire at the home. Officers heard additional shots after arriving and saw smoke coming from the residence. The home was engulfed in flames minutes later.
Charlotte Ghekiere, the suspect’s 12-year-old niece and one of the victims, had called 911 from inside the house as the shooting unfolded, according to family members. Her father, Adam Ghekiere, was working at the time and went to the home after hearing reports of an active shooting over a dispatch radio.
Police found Smith outside the home appearing to suffer from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Investigators said Tuesday that eight victims had been found in the home.
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The Billings Police Department said the fire severely damaged and complicated investigators’ efforts to process the scene. Firefighters initially had to wait for law enforcement to secure the area before approaching the home. The subdivision sits outside Billings city limits and was not required to have fire hydrants.
Police have described the shooting as stemming from a family disturbance and said there was no broader threat to the public, according to multiple reports. A motive has not yet been revealed, and the investigation into the shooting and fire remained ongoing Tuesday.