Eight members of one extended family, including four children, were killed during a Sunday gathering at a home outside Billings, Montana. Police said the suspected attacker shot himself and subsequently died. A fire destroyed the house, complicating investigators’ work.
Family member Brad Ireland identified the attacker as Alan Smith, 44, and said Smith had returned to the residence several weeks after his parents asked him to leave. Ireland said Smith opened fire during the family’s regular dinner. Authorities had confirmed eight victims by August 25 but the supplied report did not cite a police conclusion on motive.
The victims spanned four generations, from a great-grandmother in her 90s to a seven-year-old child. Ireland said his former wife, Megan Ghekiere, was killed, as were their son Owen Ireland, aged 13, and daughter Chloe Ireland, aged 7. Ghekiere’s stepchildren, Landon Ghekiere, 15, and Charlotte Ghekiere, 12, also died.
Ireland identified the remaining adult victims as Alan Smith’s grandmother Evelyn Smith, his parents Dana and Barb Smith, and his younger sister, Megan. He said the suspect set the house alight after the shootings and tried to flee before encountering law enforcement. Those details came from the family account and were not presented as final investigative findings.
Police arrived on Sunday evening after reports of a shooting and house fire. Officers heard shots behind the residence shortly before flames engulfed the building. Billings police spokesperson Jeff Stovall said the fire left the structure unstable. Firefighters remained at the scene until about 1 a.m. Monday, Fire Chief Matt Hoppel said. Their response was delayed until authorities secured the site, and the subdivision had no requirement for hydrants.
Family friend Jennifer Mercer said Charlotte placed the emergency call and tried to help her relatives. The family authorised Mercer to release information about the victims. Adam Ghekiere, Megan’s husband, was working and was not at the dinner. He told the Associated Press that he heard the emergency dispatch, tried to contact his family and reached the home while it was burning.
Ireland said Alan Smith had not previously been violent to his knowledge, although he could be verbally abusive. A search reported by AP found no arrest or charge history for him in Montana or Washington.
The episode was the 22nd US mass killing recorded in 2026 by a database maintained by AP, USA Today and Northeastern University. Fifteen were connected to domestic disputes. That classification provides context and does not establish the motive in Billings, which remained under investigation. Authorities had not announced a motive.
