US News

Montana man kills eight family members before dying in arson incident outside Billings

Authorities and family members say 44-year-old Alan Smith killed eight relatives spanning four generations before setting a house on fire.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 11:21 UTC1 reports

The short version

Eight family members, including four children, were killed at a home outside Billings, Montana, after 44-year-old Alan Smith opened fire during a family dinner.
Smith subsequently set the house on fire and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as law enforcement responded.
A 12-year-old victim, Charlotte Ghekiere, dialed 911 during the attack to try to save her family, according to police and relatives.
Investigators are working through a severely damaged crime scene after the home burned to its foundation.

Authorities and family members stated that Alan Smith shot and killed eight relatives, including four children aged 7 to 15, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.[CBS News]
The victims represented four generations of a blended family, ranging from a 7-year-old girl to a great-grandmother in her 90s.[CBS News]
Police confirmed that 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere called 911 from inside the home during the shooting.[CBS News]
Responding officers heard gunshots upon arrival before the residence became fully engulfed in flames, delaying fire suppression efforts until the scene was secured.[CBS News]
A relative noted that Smith had been asked by his parents to move out of the residence two weeks prior to the attack.[CBS News]
Criminal record searches in Montana and Washington showed no prior arrests or criminal charges for Smith.[CBS News]

The full timeline and sequence of the fire and gunshots remain subject to ongoing investigation due to severe structural damage to the home.[CBS News]