Montana man kills eight relatives including four children at family dinner before dying by suicide
Alan Smith, 44, fatally shot eight relatives including four children during a weekly family dinner at a home outside Billings, Montana on August 23, 2026. The home was set on fire during the incident and Smith was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, later dying at a hospital. Victims ranged in age from a 7-year-old girl to a great-grandmother in her 90s, representing four generations of a blended family.
9
Divergence score
7 outlets covered it, splitting into 3 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
3 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 7 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Washington Examiner
South China Morning Post
Washington Times
CNN
NY Post
Al Jazeera
AP News
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
Washington Examiner
Eight dead, including four children, after Montana man opens fire at family dinner
detailed suspect background and timeline · negative
Al Jazeera
Video: Man kills eight relatives in Montana gun attack
neutral
First to report
- Washington Timesfirst
- CNN+30 min
- South China Morning Post+1.3 h
- NY Post+1.9 h
- Washington Examiner+5.5 h
- Al Jazeera+18.9 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Most outlets ran near-identical AP wire copy with the same family spokeswoman and neighbor witness. The Washington Examiner adds the suspect's name and eviction backstory while the NY Post leads with identity and motive clues, but no outlet contradicts another.
How each outlet covered it
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
THE LEFT
“A Montana man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner, a family spokesperson says - CNN”CNN CNN LEFT
9LOW DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“Montana gunman who massacred 8 family members at Sunday dinner ID'd as clues about possible motive revealed”NYP NY Post RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“US man kills 8 relatives, including 4 children, at Sunday dinner, says family spokeswoman” · South China Morning Post
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 7 outlets put it
RIGHT3
WEWashington Examiner Eight dead, including four children, after Montana man opens fire at family dinner 17d ago WTWashington Times A Montana man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner, a family spokesperson says 18d ago NYPNY Post Montana gunman who massacred 8 family members at Sunday dinner ID'd as clues about possible motive revealed 18d ago 10 tracked claims across 7 outlets
Fact ledger
All10Claimed3Corroborated7
1/7
Claimed
Smith lived with his parents for years before being asked to move out, and returned to the home on the day of the shooting
Corroborated
Disputed
9 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger