Gunman kills six family members, then himself, in eastern Iowa, police say

A gunman killed six members of his family, past took his ain ‌life, during a spate of shootings connected Monday (June 1, 2026) successful the eastbound Iowa metropolis of ⁠Muscatine, a waterfront municipality situated crossed the Mississippi River from Illinois, constabulary said.

A preliminary probe into the weapon ‌violence indicated the shootings “stemmed from a domestic-related dispute,” the Muscatine Police Department said successful a ‌statement, though nary notation was made of ‌precisely ⁠what whitethorn person precipitated the bloodshed.

Four of ⁠the victims were recovered changeable to decease wrong a residence by constabulary officers responding to the archetypal reports of gunfire soon aft noon section ‌time.

Although the suspected slayer had fled the country earlier officers arrived, helium was rapidly identified arsenic Ryan Willis McFarland, 52, of Muscatine, and ‌was located connected the city’s riverfront way adjacent a pedestrian bridge, Police Chief Anthony Kies said during a quality briefing.

While officers ⁠were talking with him, helium took his ain life, constabulary said.

After accusation surfaced indicating determination whitethorn ‌have been further victims, constabulary recovered the bodies of 2 different men McFarland was believed to person changeable - 1 successful a adjacent location and different astatine a business.

All the victims were believed to beryllium household members of the gunman, Mr. Kies ‌said. They were not publically identified. An ABC television affiliate reported that astatine slightest 2 of the victims were children.

The constabulary main told reporters ⁠that McFarland had a erstwhile transgression record, but helium ⁠declined to elaborate.

Muscatine, a metropolis of astir 24,000 people, is the region spot ‌of Muscatine County and lies astir 155 miles eastbound of Iowa’s authorities capital, Des Moines.