Billings PD Sorting Out Why Adults, Kids Died in Fire & Shooting

Billings Police are still trying to sort out what happened during a shooting, and fire, that resulted in the deaths of several adults and children Sunday evening.

And given the complexity of the fire scene on Billings' West Side, it could be a few days before investigators come up with a more complete picture of the tragedy.

What we know so far

Officers were called to a home in a subdivision on White Star Circle Sunday evening around 6 pm, when dispatchers received a report of an active shooting, apparently from a family disturbance, with shots fired from the back of the home. Three minutes after the first officer arrived, flames were seen coming from the house, quickly engulfing it in flames.

Billings Police timeline

One man, who police now say had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, was taken to the hospital, where he died later.

At a press conference yesterday, BPD said it had identified all of the victims, but names and the number of victims weren't being released. We're not expecting to learn more until another briefing set for tomorrow.

A similar tragedy in Oregon

Billings isn't the only Northwest city dealing with a fire and multiple fatalities.

Emergency personnel in Washington County, Oregon, were called to a property fire that turned into a major mass casualty scene. The Washington County Sheriff's Office confirms firefighters responding to a blaze near Forest Grove discovered five people and several animals dead on rural property.

KIRO TV reported the primary suspect was later found dead inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, while local authorities maintain security around the fire-damaged scene.