Billings, Montana shooting: Seattle family among 8 killed

BILLINGS, Mont. – A family with ties to the Seattle area has been devastated after a man opened fire and killed eight of his relatives in Billings, Montana, over the weekend, according to the Associated Press. 

8 killed in Billings, Montana shooting

The backstory:

On Sunday, Aug. 23, 44-year-old Alan Smith shot and killed eight family members – including his grandmother, his parents, his sister and four children – before turning the gun on himself. The attack happened during a weekly family dinner, just weeks after his parents had asked him to move out of their home, the Associated Press reported.

When police responded to a 911 call at the property Sunday evening, officers heard gunshots coming from the back of the house just before the house was set on fire. Firefighters battled the flames until around 1 a.m. Monday. According to the Billings Fire Department, the home was located in a subdivision outside city limits that is not required to have fire hydrants. Efforts to fight the fire had to be delayed, and the fire ultimately burned the house down to its foundation.

Once the site was deemed safe for crews to enter, investigators confirmed that eight victims had died in the attack, along with the gunman, who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

The Associated Press reported the victims were identified as grandmother Evelyn Smith; parents Dana and Barb Smith; Alan’s sister, Megan Ghekiere; Megan’s two children, 13-year-old Owen Ireland and 7-year-old Chloe Ireland; and Megan’s two stepchildren with her current husband, 15-year-old Landon Ghekiere and 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere.

Seattle-area family among 8 killed in Montana

Local perspective:

According to reporting by the Associated Press, the Smith family was originally from the Seattle area. Brad Ireland, the former husband of Megan Ghekiere, told the Associated Press that after they divorced six years ago, Megan moved to Montana with Owen and Chloe. That is where she met Adam Ghekiere, who would become her second husband. Adam, the father of Landon and Charlotte, was at work and not at the home when the shooting occurred.

Megan’s parents, Dana and Barb Smith, bought a house in Billings and moved soon after their daughter relocated, while Dana’s elderly mother, Evelyn, lived in a nearby retirement community.

The shooter, Alan Smith, had moved in with his parents in Montana and stayed with them for years before being asked to move out a couple of weeks ago, family members told the Associated Press. Records and background details cited by the Associated Press show that Alan had attended Eastern Washington University but had struggled to find or hold a steady job.

What they’re saying:

“We extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this unimaginable tragedy,” wrote the Billings Police Department in a Tuesday press release. “We also recognize the profound impact this incident has had on our entire community. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected during this incredibly difficult time.”

What’s next:

Additional information will be provided by the Billings Police Department during a Wednesday media conference.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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