A man killed eight of his relatives, including four children, at a Sunday dinner in Billings, Montana, before taking his own life, a family spokesperson told The Associated Press.
Jennifer Mercer, who is handling funeral costs and has been authorized to release details, identified the victims as representing four generations of the blended family. The deceased ranged in age from a great-grandmother in her 90s to a 7-year-old girl.
Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots emanating from the backyard, shortly before the house became engulfed in flames. Authorities confirmed multiple fatalities, including one person who sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
David Hiller, a neighbor living three doors down, reported hearing noises he initially mistook for fireworks around 6 p.m. on Sunday. He did not pay much attention to the sound until another neighbor alerted him to a shooting incident on the cul-de-sac.
Upon going outside, Hiller observed law enforcement officers in tactical gear taking cover behind vehicles, some armed with long guns, as thick black smoke billowed from the residence.