7 Shot by Elderly Man in Neighborly Dispute, 4 Children Injured

(BrightPress.org) – A tragic shooting unfolded in Crete, Nebraska, when a 74-year-old man named Billy Booth opened fire on his neighbors, injuring seven people, including four children. Booth, who had a history of conflict with the victims, eventually turned the gun on himself, ending the rampage.

The shooting occurred on June 28th. Booth, firing from inside his home, targeted his neighbors who were outside. Among the victims, three adults aged 22 to 43 and four children aged 3 to 10 were injured. Some victims received treatment and were released, while others are still hospitalized. Fortunately, none of the injuries are life-threatening.

When police arrived at the scene, they found victims with gunshot wounds outside the residence and the suspect deceased inside his home. A shotgun was discovered nearby. Authorities believe there was no immediate dispute before the shooting, but Booth had previous conflicts with the family over various issues, including parking and other nuisances. Reports indicated that Booth had previously told the family to go back to their country and “speak English.”

Crete Police Chief Gary Young Jr. mentioned that since 2021, police had responded to several complaints from Booth about neighborhood driving behavior and other quality-of-life issues. There was also a report from the victims that Booth had made derogatory remarks towards them, but the family chose not to pursue the matter further at the time.

The Nebraska State Patrol provided additional details, stating that they received multiple reports of an active shooter around 4:33 p.m. on June 28th. Officers arrived at the scene within minutes and could hear gunfire. They evacuated the victims to safety and transported them for treatment.

Investigators later entered Booth’s home, finding him deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with a shotgun nearby. An additional firearm was found, but it is believed the shotgun was the only weapon used in the attack. Booth fired all rounds from inside his house, targeting about 15 people at the victims’ residence, most of whom were outside.