Montana: A man kills eight family members, including four children, in a shooting followed by a fire
The attack occurred during a family gathering at a home in Billings. The suspected assailant was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died at a hospital.
Police tape at the crime scene (File photo)
Eight members of the same family, including four children, died following a shooting and a fire that occurred on the night of Sunday, August 23, at a home in Billings, Montana, in a case that authorities initially described as a family dispute. The suspected attacker also died.
According to the timeline provided by the Billings Police Department, the 911 call was received around 6:01 p.m. from a residence located at 315 White Star Circle. Dispatchers could hear gunshots during the call.
The first officer arrived at approximately 6:12 p.m. and heard more gunshots coming from the back of the house. Just three minutes later, smoke began to be visible, and the house was eventually completely engulfed in flames.
The combination of an active shooter and the fire made it difficult for police and firefighters to enter immediately and complicated efforts to rescue the people still inside the property.
Politics
Mystery in San Diego: Former federal prosecutor found dead inside a government building
Luis Francisco Orozco
Four adults and four children among the victims
In an update released on Tuesday, the Billings Police Department confirmed that the victims were four adults and four children. Investigators were continuing to work on recovering the remains due to the severe structural damage to the house.
The suspected perpetrator was found outside the house with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office stated that the incident was not a random attack and that the individuals involved knew each other. After securing the area, authorities also determined that there was no further threat to the public.
What caused the massacre?
However, authorities have not yet publicly established a definitive motive, so this background information is based on family accounts and not on an official conclusion of the investigation.
Nor has it been officially determined how the fire started.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office is leading an investigation that authorities have described as complex due to both the fire and the water used to extinguish it—factors that are hindering the recovery and analysis of evidence.
LATEST
