Full story
Billings dinner massacre
A man killed eight relatives, including four children, during a Sunday dinner at a home outside Billings, Montana, weeks after his parents asked him to move out, according to Brad Ireland, who spoke to The Associated Press.
“Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back”
Investigators confirmed Tuesday there were eight victims, including four children, and that the suspect, identified as 44-year-old Alan Smith, died after a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while police said the investigation was complicated by concerns about the structural integrity of the house after the fire burned it to its foundation.
Police said they responded to the home on Sunday evening after hearing gunshots coming from out back just before the house was completely engulfed in flames, and Billings Fire Department Chief Matt Hoppel said firefighters fought the blaze until around 1 a.m. Monday.
The victims represented four generations of a blended family, ranging from a great-grandmother in her 90s who used a wheelchair to a 7-year-old girl, according to Jennifer Mercer, a neighbor and family friend who set up an online fundraiser and was authorized to release those details.
The Associated Press also reported that the Montana case was the 22nd mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
Charlotte calls 911
Jennifer Mercer said, "The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero," adding that "Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family," as family members described the victims as “very loving and close.”
Mercer also told The Associated Press that the children all got along and that their parents remained amicable even after divorcing, while friends of the victims set up online fundraisers to help cover funeral costs and other expenses.
Brad Ireland described Alan Smith as a "hermit" who spent much of his time alone in his room using his computer, and Ireland said Smith had been verbally abusive but, to his knowledge, had never previously been violent.
The Associated Press reported that investigators confirmed Tuesday the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died, and it said the investigation has been complicated by concerns about the structural integrity of the house after the fire burned it to its foundation.
In a separate account, ABC7 Los Angeles quoted Mercer saying, "Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family," while also describing the subdivision outside city limits as not required to have fire hydrants.
Domestic-dispute pattern
The Associated Press and USA Today database maintained with Northeastern University placed the Montana incident as the 22nd mass killing in the United States this year, and it said 15 involved domestic disputes, a figure James Alan Fox said was above the historical average of about 50%.
“Fifteen involved domestic disputes, a figure James Alan Fox”
The Associated Press also said the Montana shooting was the deadliest mass killing in the U.S. since April, when a Louisiana father killed eight children and wounded two others during a family dispute, as authorities continued to work to establish the circumstances.
ABC News reported that police characterized the incident near Billings as a family disturbance and said there was believed to be no continued threat to the community, while Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell asked for “patience as we complete this investigation.”
ABC News said the cause and origin of the fire would be investigated once the scene was safe, and it described the incident as a “complex and dangerous” scene where crews had to coordinate closely with law enforcement.
In the meantime, police said no additional people were being sought in connection with the incident and that authorities were intentionally limiting details about the case “to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation,” with the recovery efforts underway.