A Montana sheriff confirmed multiple adults and children were killed after a gunman opened fire at a Billings home and set it ablaze.
Yellowstone County interim Sheriff Kent O’Donnell told reporters Monday that “multiple adults and multiple juveniles” died in the Sunday evening attack on a residential property in Montana’s largest city. He declined to release the identities of the victims, citing the active investigation.
Police were dispatched to the house just after 6 p.m. Sunday following reports of a shooting and a family disturbance, according to authorities. Officers arrived approximately 10 minutes later and heard gunfire coming from the back of the residence.
The home was fully engulfed in flames within three minutes of the officers’ arrival, officials said. The rapid progression of the fire complicated both rescue efforts and the subsequent investigation.
“Because of the fire and obviously water that goes to suppress that fire, it’s going to slow our investigation of the crime scene recovery of evidence,” O’Donnell said at Monday’s news conference. “So we ask for patience as we complete this investigation.”
The sheriff did not specify the exact number of fatalities or provide details about the relationship between the victims and the shooter. No information about the perpetrator’s fate or identity was released.
No motive was publicly available as of Tuesday, and authorities have not indicated whether the gunman was among the deceased or remained at large.
The Billings Police Department, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
The incident marks one of the deadliest mass killings in recent Montana history. Billings, a city of approximately 120,000 residents, sits in the south-central portion of the state and serves as the urban hub for the region.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation with assistance from other local agencies. Forensic teams were expected to process the burned structure once conditions permit safe entry.