Eight members of the same family, including two children, were killed after a gunman opened fire at a home in Billings, Montana, before the property was set ablaze, according to authorities.
The shooting began at approximately 6:01 p.m. Monday, with gunfire reportedly audible in the background of a 911 call made during the attack.
Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said the residence was set on fire within roughly three minutes of the initial emergency call.
Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene about 10 minutes after the shooting began, but eight people inside the home were ultimately found dead.
One person survived the attack and was transported to a hospital. Authorities have not disclosed the survivor’s condition.
Among those killed were 15-year-old Landon Ghekiere and his 12-year-old sister, Charlotte Ghekiere.
Their parents, Adam Ghekiere and Erica Jarussi Schneider, as well as their stepfather Danny, were not at the residence when the shooting occurred.
Authorities have identified the remaining victims but had not publicly released their names as of Tuesday morning.
The suspected gunman was discovered dead near the property at approximately 6:48 p.m., according to police. Authorities said the suspect suffered what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators have not publicly explained the suspect’s relationship to the victims or identified a possible motive behind the killings.
Firefighters also faced major difficulties while trying to battle the blaze that engulfed the residence.
Billings Fire Department Chief Matt Hoppel said crews were hampered by the absence of fire hydrants in the area, allowing conditions at the property to rapidly deteriorate.
“The delay and limited access presented significant challenges,” Hoppel said. “Fire conditions continued to worsen, and the residence ultimately became heavily involved and was consumed by fire.”
Images taken after firefighters extinguished the blaze showed the home almost completely destroyed.
Relatives and friends have since remembered Landon and Charlotte through an online fundraiser.
Landon was preparing to begin his sophomore year of high school and was looking forward to receiving his driver’s license, per the Daily Mail.
“He was a loving, caring young man who was always willing to lend a hand to his family and neighbors,” relatives wrote.
The family described him as a patient and protective older brother.
Charlotte was preparing to begin seventh grade.
Relatives remembered her as “funny, precocious, and adorable” and said she enjoyed exploring outdoors and searching for insects beneath rocks.
“She especially loved exploring the world around her, turning over rocks to look for bugs. Oh, how she loved her bugs!” the fundraiser stated.
Adam Ghekiere is an Airport Rescue Firefighter and was not involved in the shooting, according to family members.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies are investigating the circumstances surrounding the mass killing, including what led to the shooting, how the fire was started and the relationship between the suspected gunman and the victims.
