Key takeaways:
- Police found four people fatally shot at a Muscatine home and later found two other men dead at separate locations in the city.
- Authorities identified the suspected gunman as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland, who police say took his own life while officers were speaking with him on a trail.
- The Muscatine Community School District said two victims were students and two were district employees.
Authorities in Iowa are investigating the fatal shootings of six people they believe were killed by a relative who then took his own life while speaking with police Monday.
The shootings unfolded in Muscatine, a city about 50 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, and involved multiple crime scenes, Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said at a news conference. Police identified the suspected gunman as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland of Muscatine.
Officers were first called Monday to a home in Muscatine, where they found four people fatally shot, Kies said. Police later located McFarland on a trail in the city.
“While talking to Ryan Willis McFarland, he took his own life,” Kies said.
Two other men, also believed to be relatives of McFarland, were later found fatally shot elsewhere in Muscatine, according to Kies. One man’s body was found in his home, and the other was discovered inside a business.
Authorities have not released the names of the victims or details about them. Preliminary findings by police indicated that a domestic dispute led to the shootings, CBS Des Moines affiliate KCCI-TV reported.
The Muscatine Community School District said two of the victims were students in the district and two were district employees. Superintendent Chris Christopher shared the information in a message to families posted on social media.
“Our hearts are broken for the family members, friends, colleagues, classmates, and all those affected by this unimaginable loss,” Christopher said. “We ask that you keep everyone impacted in your thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.”
Kies described the impact on the community in brief remarks during the news conference.
“Today I simply do not have the words,” he said. “This act of evil and what it has done to our community.”
The Muscatine Police Department is continuing to investigate the shootings. Kies said officers were processing the crime scenes and conducting interviews. Police have asked anyone with information to contact the department’s major crimes unit.
Kies confirmed that McFarland had a criminal record but declined to provide details.
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