BILLINGS, MONTANA — A family gathering turned into a devastating massacre Sunday evening when a 44-year-old man allegedly opened fire on his relatives inside a Billings-area home, killing eight people across four generations before the house was set ablaze.

The victims included four children, the youngest just 7 years old. The suspected gunman, identified as Alan Michael Smith, also died after suffering what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Investigators are now combing through the heavily damaged property as they try to reconstruct the attack and determine what led to the extraordinary violence.

📞 A 12-Year-Old Tried to Save Her Family
Among the victims was 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere, who authorities say made a desperate 911 call while the attack was unfolding.

Family spokesperson Jennifer Mercer identified Charlotte as the person who contacted emergency dispatchers shortly after 6 p.m.

When officers arrived, they could hear gunfire coming from the property and saw smoke rising from the home.

Charlotte’s call has become one of the most heartbreaking details of the tragedy, with relatives and community members describing her actions as an attempt to save her family.

💔 Four Generations Were Lost
Authorities and relatives identified the eight people killed in the attack.

They included:

Evelyn Smith, 92

Dana Smith, 73

Barbara “Barb” Smith, 72

Megan Ghekiere, 39

Landon Ghekiere, 15

Charlotte Ghekiere, 12

Owen Ireland, 13

Chloe Ireland, 7

The victims came from four generations of the same extended family, making the scale of the loss particularly devastating for surviving relatives.

🔥 Police Arrived to Gunfire and Smoke
According to Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell, Smith arrived at the residence at approximately 5:49 p.m. Sunday.

Minutes later, someone inside the house called 911.

Officers responding to the scene encountered Smith and confronted him.

He then ran back into the home.

Police heard additional shots and saw smoke before Smith eventually went into the backyard and shot himself, authorities said.

The home soon became engulfed in flames.

Firefighters were unable to immediately enter because the structure remained an active and dangerous crime scene.

🏚️ The Fire Complicated the Investigation
The blaze destroyed much of the residence, leaving investigators with a severely damaged scene to examine.

Authorities have since begun carefully searching through the remains of the house for evidence that could help establish the exact sequence of events.

Investigators are examining the location of the victims, firearms evidence and the points where the fires began.

Because the suspected gunman died, investigators cannot rely on a criminal trial to establish his motive or provide testimony about what happened.

That makes the physical evidence and witness accounts especially important.

👤 Who Was Alan Michael Smith?
Smith, 44, was a member of the family and had previously lived at the residence.

Relatives told investigators that he had recently been asked to move out of the house.

That dispute is now among the circumstances authorities are examining.

However, officials have not announced a definitive motive for the killings.

Sheriff O’Donnell has emphasized that investigators still have unanswered questions about what triggered the attack and exactly how events unfolded before police arrived.

No Previous Police History at the Home
One striking detail emerging from the investigation is that authorities reportedly had no previous police contact with the residence involving Smith.

Despite relatives describing concerning behavior, the sheriff said officers had not previously been called to the home for incidents involving him.

That has raised difficult questions for family members and the broader community about whether warning signs were missed before the shooting.

👨‍👧 A Father Lost His Wife and Four Children
Charlotte and Landon were the children of Adam Ghekiere, who was working as an airport rescue firefighter when the attack occurred.

Ghekiere has described an unbearable loss: his wife, Megan, and all four children in the blended family died in the massacre.

He reportedly became aware that something was wrong through emergency radio communications connected to the response.

Family and friends have rallied around him as investigators continue working at the burned property.

🕯️ Survivors Are Remembering a Close-Knit Family
Relatives and friends have described the family as close and connected.

The victims were gathered for what should have been an ordinary Sunday dinner.

Instead, the evening became a scene of mass violence.

Community members have since created memorials with flowers, photographs and other personal items.

Fundraising campaigns have also been launched to help surviving relatives deal with funeral expenses and the enormous financial burden left behind by the tragedy.

🔎 Investigators Still Want to Know Why
The motive remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.

Authorities know Smith had been asked to move out of the family home.

They know he returned on Sunday.

They know a 911 call was made from inside the residence, followed by the arrival of police and a confrontation with Smith.

They know multiple shots were fired and the house caught fire.

But investigators still have to piece together what happened in the minutes before the violence began and why the attack escalated to such a devastating level.

The Destruction May Hide Critical Evidence
Because the home burned extensively, investigators are working through debris and damaged areas in an effort to recover whatever evidence survived.

Officials say the investigation could take time.

Every recovered item — including firearms, photographs, personal belongings or pieces of the structure — could help establish the timeline.

Investigators also continue interviewing family members, neighbors and others who may have information about Smith’s behavior before the attack.

A Community Struggling to Understand
The killings have shocked Billings and surrounding communities.

The victims ranged in age from 7 to 92, illustrating just how broadly the violence affected the family.

There is also an especially painful dimension to Charlotte’s story.

At only 12 years old, she reportedly recognized the danger and reached out to emergency services while trying to protect the people around her.

Her final act has become a symbol of courage amid an otherwise devastating tragedy.

The Investigation Continues
Authorities have not indicated that there is an ongoing threat to the public connected to Smith, who is dead.

Instead, investigators are concentrating on the crime scene, the victims’ histories and the events leading up to the shooting.

The death of the suspected gunman means some questions may never receive a direct answer.

Still, law enforcement officials say they are determined to reconstruct the events as accurately as possible.

For the families left behind, knowing what happened may be the only form of closure available.

Eight relatives went to a Sunday dinner and never came home. A 12-year-old tried to call for help. A home was destroyed by fire. And now investigators are left piecing together the final moments of four generations of a Montana family.

Sources: WZZM13 / 13NewsNow — Montana shooting and house fire