A 12-year-old girl has been hailed as a hero after she tried desperately to save her family during a Montana mass shooting that left 8 dead.
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that → hail → 8
The attack occurred outside Billings at a home owned by victims Dana Smith, 73, and Barbara Smith, 72, police said.
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police → occur → victims
They were killed, as were Megan Ireland-Ghekiere, 39, and children, Owen Ireland, 13; Chloe Ireland, 7; Landon Ghekiere, 15; and Charlotte Ghekiere, 12.
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Ghekiere → kill → ?
Ninety-two-year-old Evelyn Smith also died, authorities said.
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authorities → die → ?
Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell identified the shooter as Alan Michael Smith, 44.
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O’Donnell → identify → Smith
Smith was found dead as authorities sought the killer.
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authorities → find → killer
Charlotte was described as a hero by neighbor Jennifer Mercer.
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Charlotte → describe → Mercer
“The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero,” Mercer said.
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Mercer → know → ?
“Charlotte called 911, and she tried to save her family.
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she → call → family
And that’s something the family does want out there.”
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family → ’ → ?
In a GoFundMe campaign, Charlotte was described as “funny, precocious and adorable, with just the right amount of stubborn.”
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Charlotte → describe → amount
Charlotte’s 15-year-old brother, Landon, was described as a “loving, caring young man who was always willing to lend a hand to his family and neighbors.
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who → describe → family
”
“He was looking forward to getting his driver’s license this week and was a patient, protective, and loving big brother,” the page, which Mercer launched to cover funeral expenses, read.
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Mercer → look → expenses
At the press conference, O’Donnell confirmed Landon and Charlotte’s step-siblings, Chloe and Owen Ireland, had been killed.
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Landon → confirm → conference
Speaking to reporters, O’Donnell shared more details about the shooting, stating that the suspect, Alan Smith, arrived in the neighborhood at around 5.49 p.m on Sunday, with Charlotte calling 911 just after 6 p.m.
Officers confronted Alan Smith, the shooter, but the man ran back inside, with officers hearing gunfire shortly after.
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officers → speak → gunfire
Smoke soon began to appear in the home, with Smith suffering what is believed to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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what → begin → home
The house was soon engulfed in flames.
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house → engulf → flames
The Associated Press reported that Alan Smith had been asked to move out of the house shortly before the shooting.
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Smith → report → shooting
O’Donnell said that police had recovered weapons from the scene but did not detail the ones used by Smith to carry out the killings.
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police → say → killings
As the investigation continues, a memorial has been established near the home with neighbors and classmates leaving messages to the victims in a notebook at the site.
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neighbors → continue → site
“I don’t think he expected my kids to be there,” Adam Ghekiere, Charlotte and Landon’s father, told The AP of Smith.
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Ghekiere → think → Smith
“Monster isn’t even enough to describe what he did.
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he → describe → what
Ghekiere also confirmed that Charlotte was the one to call the police.
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Charlotte → confirm → police
“I keep hearing her quote to me every time I would say ‘I love you’ and she would say ‘I love you more,’” he said.
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he → hear → you
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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you → base → Lifeline
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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you → go → you
In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
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people → have → 123
The Aporia
