Gunman kills multiple adults and children in Billings home shooting and arson

Several adults and children were killed after a gunman opened fire at a Billings, Montana home and set it ablaze. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Multiple adults and children dead after shooting and fire in Billings, Montana

Several adults and multiple children were killed Sunday evening at a home in Billings, Montana, after a gunman opened fire and set the residence ablaze, Global News Crime reports.

The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office told Global News that officers received a 911 call reporting an active shooter. "During the phone call, 911 Operators could hear gunfire in the background," police said. The first officer arrived on scene at 6:12 p.m., with gunfire audible from the back of the property. Three minutes later, smoke was visible rising from the house, which quickly became fully engulfed in flames.

The suspect has been accounted for. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"All victims in this incident were fatal," police confirmed, adding that names, ages, and the precise number of those killed would not be released until family notifications had been made.

Fire hampered rescue efforts

At a news conference Monday, Billings Police Department Assistant Chief Shawn Mayo said that once flames were observed inside the home, "fire suppression efforts took priority as the fire blocked any reasonable attempt to rescue or recover victims."

"The Billings Fire Department worked diligently to contain the fire as it spread throughout the structure and to stop the threat to adjacent houses," Mayo said. "The fire was eventually suppressed and monitored throughout the night."

Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O'Donnell confirmed at the same news conference that "multiple adults and multiple juveniles" died at the residence. The victims have been identified, O'Donnell said, but their names and ages will be withheld pending further notifications.

O'Donnell acknowledged that fire damage — and the water used to suppress it — would slow the collection of forensic evidence at the scene. "So we ask for patience as we complete this investigation," he said. Additional details are expected to be released Wednesday.

Incident began as family disturbance

According to the initial investigation, the violence originated as a family disturbance. "This was not a random act of violence where the parties were unknown to each other," police stated.

Authorities confirmed there is no further danger to the public. The Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation and has asked residents to avoid the crime scene to ease pressure on resources and scene security. "This will be a multi-day evidence collection event," the statement noted.

Multiple agencies assisted with the response, including the Billings Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, MSU Billings Police, Billings Fire Department, AMR, Airport Fire, and Laurel Fire.

The Sheriff's Office extended its condolences to the victims' families and acknowledged the toll on first responders. "We also need to lift up those who had to respond to this event, including the call taker who took the initial call," the statement read.

Montana Representative Troy Downing wrote on X Monday that his "thoughts are with those affected by last night's shooting and fire in Billings," and thanked law enforcement, firefighters, and medical personnel for their response to "a dangerous and fast-moving situation."

Global News Crime contacted the Billings Police Department for further comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Source: Global News Crime