A man fatally shot eight of his relatives, including four children, at a Sunday dinner in Billings, Montana, before taking his own life, a family spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press.
Jennifer Mercer, who is authorized to release details and has established an online fundraiser for funeral expenses, identified the victims as comprising four generations of the extended family. The deceased ranged from a great-grandmother in her 90s to a 7-year-old girl.
Law enforcement responded to the residence on Sunday evening and reported hearing gunshots from the backyard shortly before the house became fully engulfed in flames. Officials confirmed multiple fatalities, including one individual who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
David Hiller, a neighbor residing three houses down from the scene, initially mistook the sounds around 6 p.m. for fireworks. His attention was drawn to the situation when another neighbor alerted him to a shooting incident on the cul-de-sac. Hiller then observed police officers in tactical gear taking cover behind vehicles, some armed with long guns, as thick, black smoke billowed from the home.