Police characterized the incident Sunday evening near the city’s West End neighborhood as a family disturbance. The gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot, NBC affiliate KULR of Billings reported.
Interim Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said at a news conference Monday that “multiple adults and multiple juveniles” died at the residence.
The dead have been identified, he said, but the number of those killed, their names and their ages will not be released for now.
“Because of the fire and obviously water that goes to suppress that fire, it’s going to slow our investigation of the crime scene recovery of evidence,” he said. “So we ask for patience as we complete this investigation.”
A possible motive was not available Monday.
Billings police and county sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the shooting in the 300 block of White Star Circle at 6:01 p.m. Sunday, Billings police said on Facebook. O’Donnell said gunshots could be heard during the 911 call.
Officers and deputies reached the scene in roughly 10 minutes and at that point heard gunfire from the back of the residence, the police department said.
Three minutes later, the home was fully engulfed in flames, it said.
Video from the scene showed law enforcement officers taking cover behind patrol SUVs on the street near the home as a small tactical team behind a handheld shield moved toward the structure.
Firefighters were dispatched but may have faced water access issues and fewer fire hydrants than might be ideal, officials said.
“The delay in limited access presented significant challenges, fire conditions continued to worsen, and the residents ultimately became ... consumed by fire,” Billings Fire Chief Matt Hoppel said at Monday’s news conference.
The origin of the blaze was also under investigation.
Billings Police Sgt. Jeff Stovall said in a statement Monday that some information was being withheld “to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.”
“There are details we simply cannot release at this time,” he said.