In a disturbing incident on Friday evening, seven people, including four children, were shot by a neighbor at a home in Nebraska. Authorities are now investigating the possibility that the crime was racially motivated.

The incident unfolded at around 4:33 p.m. when multiple 911 calls reported an active shooter situation on the 1200 block of Crestline Drive in the town of Crete, located in southeastern Nebraska. Local officers and deputies swiftly responded, discovering that the gunfire was originating from a single residence across the street from where they were standing.

According to a news release, around 15 people were present at the home during the shooting, with most of them being outside in the yard. However, at least one victim was inside the house, making it unclear at this time who were residents and who were visitors.

Nebraska State Patrol Col. John Bolduc revealed that the SWAT team was called in to apprehend what was believed to be a barricaded suspect. After a tense stand-off, the team entered the residence at approximately 6:40 p.m. only to find the suspect, identified as 74-year-old Billy Booth, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A shotgun was discovered near Booth's body.

During the preliminary investigation, it was determined that all the shots fired by Booth came from within his house. Bolduc stated that there was no evidence of any verbal contact between the suspect and the victims prior to the shooting.

The victims include three adults, aged 22 to 43, and four children ranging from 3 to 10 years old. Chief Gary Young Jr. of the Crete Police stated that all the victims are believed to be of Hispanic descent. While six victims were initially transported to the hospital, a seventh realized later that evening that they had been wounded. Four individuals have been released, while three are still receiving medical care, including two children who are being treated at a children's hospital. Fortunately, all the victims are expected to survive.

Investigators have discovered a history between Booth and the victims' families. Crete Police had responded to several complaints since 2021 regarding Booth's concerns regarding driving behavior in the neighborhood, parking issues, and other quality-of-life matters. There was also an instance where the victims reported Booth directing offensive language towards them and telling them to "Go home" or "back to where they came from" and to "Speak English."

When addressing the potential racial element to the shooting, Chief Young acknowledged that there could be one, given the context of Booth's remarks. However, a motive is still under investigation.

The incident prompted the Nebraska State Patrol to issue a warning for the public to stay clear of the area, but later confirmed that the active situation had been resolved and that there was no longer a threat to the public.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward as they continue their investigation into this tragic shooting.