A 52-year-old Muscatine resident opened fire on family members across the Iowa city Monday, leaving six dead before ending his own life during a confrontation with police.
Officers arrived at a home in Muscatine, located roughly 50 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids, to discover four bodies. The subsequent search led them to identify two additional victims elsewhere in the city: one found in a residential home and another in a business.
Ryan Willis McFarland was located on a nearby riverfront trail. As officers attempted to speak with him, McFarland fatally shot himself, according to Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies.
Investigators have determined the violence stemmed from a domestic dispute within the family. McFarland had a criminal history, though authorities declined to specify details at the time.
At least two of the six fatalities were children, though the full list of victims and their identities remain unreleased as the investigation continues. Police are processing multiple crime scenes and conducting witness interviews.
Kies described the toll on the community during a Monday 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 urging anyone with information about the shootings to contact its major crimes unit.
Author James Rodriguez: "Six dead in one violent spree and the shooter takes the coward's way out, leaving a shattered community and unanswered questions about what triggered the carnage."
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