Eight Family Members Killed as Montana House Burns; Gunman Found Dead Nearby
A horrific shooting and house fire in Billings, Montana, left eight members of one family dead, including multiple children. One other person survived and was taken to a hospital. Their condition has not been released.
According to reports, police were called to the home just after 6 p.m. Sunday. The initial calls involved a shooting and a family disturbance.
Officers arrived roughly 10 minutes later. They heard gunfire coming from the back of the house, which was already burning. Police then saw a male in the backyard and heard additional shots.
About three minutes later, the home was fully engulfed in flames. The people inside were trapped as the structure burned to the ground.
“When the fire was observed in the structure, fire suppression efforts took priority as the fire blocked any reasonable attempt to rescue or recover victims,” Billings Police Department Assistant Chief Shawn Mayo said at a news conference on Monday.
The father, Adam Ghekiere, the mother, Erica Jarussi Schneider, and the stepfather, Danny, were not at the home. All three were reportedly unharmed.
The suspected gunman was later found dead near the house. The Daily Mail reported that he died after shooting himself in the head. Authorities have not said how he was related to the family.
A GoFundMe campaign created by a friend of the family identified two of the victims as 12-year-old Charlotte Gheikere and her 15-year-old brother, Landon.
“Our community lost two of its brightest lights, Landon and Charlotte, along with six other family members, in a senseless act of violence,” the GoFundMe reads.
“These two precious children leave behind a hole that is impossible to comprehend, along with a family facing unimaginable grief.”
The case remains under investigation. Police are expected to provide more information about the victims and a possible motive at another press conference scheduled for Wednesday, according to The New York Post.
Officials have not yet released additional details about what led to the shooting or explained the relationship between the suspected gunman and the family.