Eight people, including four children, were killed in a shooting and house fire near Billings, Montana, after what police described as a family disturbance.

The suspect, identified by relatives as 44-year-old Alan Smith, was found outside the burning home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died.

The victims included family members ranging in age from 7 to more than 90 years old, with several generations of the family among those killed.

A 12-year-old girl reportedly called 911 during the attack, but the rapidly spreading fire and continued gunfire made it difficult for emergency crews to reach the victims, ABC News has reported.

Investigators are still working to determine the motive and exact sequence of events, while the destruction of the home has complicated the investigation.