Six family members killed, including two students, in Iowa domestic shooting; gunman then kills himself

The shootings

Officers responded to a report of gunfire at a home on Park Avenue shortly after noon local time on June 1. Inside they found four people dead from gunshot wounds. The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland of Muscatine, had fled before police arrived.

The suspect’s death

McFarland was located on the city’s riverfront trail near a pedestrian bridge along the Mississippi River. While officers were attempting to speak with him, he turned the weapon on himself. Emergency responders rendered aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Additional victims

As the investigation unfolded, detectives learned there were more victims. One man was found shot dead inside a residence on Mill Street; another was discovered deceased from a gunshot wound at a business on Grandview Avenue. All six victims are believed to be family members of the suspect, police said.

Community impact

Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies called the killings “an act of evil”. “Today I simply do not have the words,” he told reporters. “This act of evil and what it has done to our community.” Mayor Brad Bark wrote on Facebook: “Our hearts are heavy tonight after the tragic shootings that claimed innocent lives.” Iowa congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks said she was “heartbroken by the tragic loss of life” and had offered support.

Investigation

Preliminary findings indicate the shootings “stemmed from a domestic-related dispute,” the Muscatine Police Department stated. McFarland had a prior criminal record, Kies confirmed, though he declined to elaborate. Authorities have not released the victims’ names. The Muscatine School Community District said two students and two staff members were among those who lost their lives.