Muscatine, Iowa: A 52-year-old man killed six members of his family and then took his own life in a series of shootings in eastern Iowa on Monday, leaving the waterfront community of Muscatine shocked and grieving, police said. The incident unfolded in this Mississippi River town, where neighbours are now struggling to come to terms with the horrific loss that has ripped through their close-knit community, Reuters reported.
The carnage began shortly after noon local time in Muscatine, a Mississippi River town of approximately 24,000 residents located about 155 miles east of Des Moines and directly across from Illinois. Police officers responding to the initial reports of gunfire discovered four bodies inside a residential home, all victims
of gunshot wounds, according to the Muscatine Police Department.
“A preliminary investigation into the gun violence indicated the shootings ‘stemmed from a domestic-related dispute,’” the Muscatine Police Department said in an official statement, although no mention was made of precisely what may have precipitated the bloodshed.
The suspected shooter, identified as Ryan Willis McFarland of Muscatine, had already fled the scene when first responders arrived at the residence. However, authorities quickly identified and tracked him to the city’s riverfront trail near a pedestrian bridge, Police Chief Anthony Kies disclosed during a press briefing.
“While officers were talking with him, he took his own life,” police said.
The death toll rose when additional information emerged suggesting more victims may have been involved. Investigators subsequently discovered the bodies of two other men, both believed to have been shot by McFarland — one at a nearby residence and another at a local business.
“All the victims were believed to be family members of the gunman,” Kies told reporters. “They were not publicly identified.”
An ABC television affiliate reported that at least two of the victims were children.
Chief Kies confirmed that McFarland had a prior criminal record but declined to provide further details about his past legal troubles.