Eight people, including multiple children, were found dead inside a Billings, Montana, home on Sunday evening after police responded to reports of shots fired and an unconscious child. The residence was fully engulfed in flames by the time officers arrived approximately 10 minutes after the initial call.
Responding to a 911 call detailing an active shooting, officers arrived on the scene at 6:11 p.m. to find the house ablaze, according to statements from Billings police and Yellowstone County dispatch audio. Gunshots were reportedly heard in the background of the 911 call, and the house was set on fire within three minutes, officials said.
Assistant Billings Police Chief Shawn Mayo stated that a suspect, who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, was taken to a local hospital and later died. The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released by police. However, GoFundMe campaigns identified Megan Ghekiere, 39, and her stepchildren, Landon, 15, and Charlotte Ghekiere, 12, as three of the deceased.
Firefighters faced significant challenges battling the blaze due to a lack of fire hydrants in the area, Billings Fire Department Chief Matt Hoppel noted. The limited access and deteriorating conditions allowed the fire to intensify, ultimately consuming the residence.
The investigation into the events leading up to the shooting and the subsequent fire is being conducted by the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office and other agencies. Detectives are currently on site processing the scene and collecting evidence, with further details expected to be released later in the week.
Online fundraisers described Landon Ghekiere as a loving and helpful young man preparing for his sophomore year of high school, who was also a patient and protective older brother. Charlotte was remembered as funny, adorable, and curious about the world around her.
Megan Ghekiere was killed in the incident, while her husband, Adam Ghekiere, who is an Airport Rescue Firefighter, was not home at the time of the massacre. The relationship between the suspected shooter and the family remains unclear.
