Authorities are reconstructing a deadly Sunday evening incident that began with a family disturbance call and ended with a home destroyed by fire.
BILLINGS, Mont. — Multiple adults and children died after a shooting at a Billings home that quickly became engulfed in flames Sunday evening, authorities said, leaving investigators with a badly damaged crime scene and unanswered questions about what led to the violence.
Law enforcement officials said the Aug. 23 incident began as a reported family disturbance at a home at 315 White Star Circle in the city’s West End. A 911 call reporting a shooting came in at 6:01 p.m., and gunfire could be heard in the background, authorities said. Officials have identified everyone involved but have not publicly released the exact number of people killed, their names or their ages.
The first police officer arrived at 6:12 p.m., according to a timeline released by authorities. Police said additional gunfire came from behind the house at about the same time. Within three minutes, responders saw smoke, and the residence soon became fully involved in fire.
Assistant Billings Police Chief Shawn Mayo said a male suspect was taken into custody and transported to a hospital with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man later died. Authorities have not publicly identified him or released additional information about his relationship to the other people who died.
Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said the victims included multiple adults and multiple juveniles. Officials said all people involved in the incident had been identified and were dead. Investigators have not publicly described the sequence of the deaths or said what prompted the reported family disturbance.
The fire severely damaged the residence and complicated efforts to recover evidence. O’Donnell said investigators must work through destruction caused by the flames as well as water used to suppress the fire. He described the case as a “very, very complex investigation.” Authorities have not announced an official cause of the fire.
Police and sheriff’s deputies continued controlling access to White Star Circle as investigators processed the property. Officials said the scene could take significant time to examine because of the extent of the damage and the need to recover evidence carefully.
Several agencies responded to the emergency, including Billings police, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, the Billings Fire Department and other area fire personnel. Residents on the block were initially evacuated while responders dealt with the shooting and fire. Authorities later said the area was secure and there was no continuing threat to the public.
Investigators have not released a motive or detailed the relationships among those who died. The exact number of victims also remained undisclosed in the latest verified update. Authorities said another public update was expected Wednesday as the investigation continues.
Author note: Last updated August 25, 2026.