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Slain girl hailed as hero after 8 relatives killed in Montana home

The victims represented four generations of the blended family, ranging from a great-grandmother in her 90s who used a wheelchair to a 7-year-old girl, a neighbor said.

A young girl in Montana is being hailed as a hero after her family members, totaling eight, were killed in a shooting and fire at their home outside Billings. The shooter, 44-year-old Alan Smith, had a history with the family, as his parents had asked him to move out. However, he returned to the home on Sunday evening and opened fire during a family gathering.

The victims ranged in age from a great-grandmother in her 90s to a 7-year-old girl. The shooter suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and died later. Police were initially delayed in responding to the fire due to concerns about the house's structural integrity. Among those killed were Smith's ex-wife and two of his children, as well as three other family members.

The community has been deeply affected by the tragedy, with neighbors and friends setting up GoFundMe accounts to support the families of the victims.

Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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