Billings shooting leaves several adults and children dead in burned home

Herz — World Desk · 25 August 2026 at 20:10 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What is known

Several people, including children, were killed Sunday evening in a shooting at a home in Billings, Montana, according to The Guardian. The building was subsequently destroyed by fire.

Police described the case as a family conflict. As of Tuesday morning, authorities had disclosed neither the exact number of people killed nor their ages or identities.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said Monday that everyone targeted in the shooting had died. The victims included several adults and several minors.

The victims have been identified, but their number, names and ages will not be released immediately, O’Donnell said.

How the emergency response unfolded

1. Sunday, around 6 p.m.
   An officer responds to a report of a shooter at a home on the west side of Billings.
2. During the response
   The officer hears gunfire from behind the building and then sees the home fully engulfed in flames.
3. After the shooting
   The suspect is found outside with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound and later dies at a hospital.
4. Tuesday morning
   Authorities still have not released the exact death toll or the victims’ ages and identities.
5. Wednesday
   Authorities plan to provide another update on the case.

Firefighters had to wait until police secured the scene before responding. They may also have encountered difficulties accessing water as the fire continued to worsen.

Damage from the fire and the water used to extinguish it is expected to slow the examination of the scene and the recovery of evidence.

Authorities limit information during the investigation