Eight members of the same family, including two children, were killed in a shooting at a home in Billings, Montana, on Monday evening. The gunman died by suicide at the scene, according to authorities. The incident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. local time, when police received a 911 call reporting gunshots. Responding officers arrived 10 minutes later to find the residence engulfed in flames.
Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O'Donnell stated that gunshots were audible in the background of the 911 call. Within three minutes of the initial shots, the house was set on fire. Firefighters faced significant challenges due to the lack of fire hydrants in the area, which hampered their efforts to control the blaze. The residence was ultimately consumed by fire.
Among the victims were 15-year-old Landon Ghekiere and 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere. Their parents, Adam Ghekiere and Erica Jarussi Schneider, and stepfather Danny were not present at the time of the attack. An online fundraiser described Landon as a loving, caring young man preparing to begin his sophomore year of high school. Charlotte was about to start seventh grade and was characterized as funny, precocious, and adored.
One survivor of the attack was transported to a local hospital, but their condition remains unknown. The gunman was found deceased near the property with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head around 6:48 p.m. Authorities have not yet clarified the gunman's relationship to the victims.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office, along with other agencies, is investigating the events that led to the shooting and the subsequent fire.
