Eight members of a blended family, including four children, were killed in a mass shooting and house fire outside Billings, Montana, on August 23, 2026. Yellowstone County authorities identified the gunman as 44-year-old Alan Smith, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after confronting deputies.
A Sunday family dinner on White Star Circle turned into an unimaginable tragedy when a relative opened fire on four generations gathered just outside the Billings city limits.
The Victims and the Timeline of the Billings Attack
The victims spanned four generations, ranging from a 7-year-old child to a 92-year-old great-grandmother. Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell identified the dead as homeowners Dana Smith, 73, and Barbara Smith, 72; their daughter, Megan Ireland-Ghekiere, 39; and family matriarch Evelyn Smith, 92, who was visiting for dinner. Also killed were Megan’s children, Owen Ireland, 13, and Chloe Ireland, 7, along with her two stepchildren with her current husband, Landon Ghekiere, 15, and Charlotte Ghekiere, 12.
According to investigators who released a detailed timeline of the incident, the suspect, Alan Smith, arrived at the property at 5:49 p.m. local time on August 23. Neighbors initially heard sounds resembling fireworks around 6:00 p.m., a noise that drew little immediate alarm during a summer evening. At 6:02 p.m., emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from a female voice inside the residence reporting that people were injured as gunshots echoed in the background.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene at 6:10 p.m. and encountered the suspect in the front yard. Alan Smith immediately retreated into the house as further gunshots rang out, slipping into a fenced-in backyard hidden from view. Officers transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead and later identified as the gunman.
A Young Girl Hailed as a Hero Amid the Flames
As emergency responders secured the perimeter, multiple fires set inside the home by the suspect before his death began to consume the structure. Because the property sat in a subdivision outside city limits lacking fire hydrants, firefighting efforts were delayed until the scene was safe, allowing the blaze to tear through the house unchecked. Billings Fire Department Chief Matt Hoppel noted that firefighters remained on the scene battling the inferno until around 1:00 a.m. Monday.
Amid the devastation, family members and neighbors shared harrowing details about the moments leading up to the arrival of law enforcement. Jennifer Mercer, a neighbor and family friend who established an online fundraiser, shared what relatives wanted the public to know about 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere.
“The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero. Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family. And that’s something the family does want out there.”
Jennifer Mercer, neighbor and family friend, via CBS News
The girl’s father, Brad Ireland, expressed agonizing disbelief upon discovering the scale of the loss.
Family Dynamics and Unanswered Questions
Investigators and relatives revealed mounting tension within the household in the weeks leading up to the shooting.
Authorities have declined to elaborate on a definitive motive, stating that the investigation remains active and that investigators are still speaking with grieving family members.
The tragedy has left the broader Billings community — a city of roughly 121,000 residents — in profound mourning. Residents have gathered near the site to establish a makeshift memorial filled with teddy bears, photographs, and written condolences from classmates and community members who never expected such violence to touch their corner of Montana.
