Shooting in Eastern Iowa, US; Gunman Kills 6 Family Members Before Taking Own Life

Police in Iowa, USA, stated that a gunman killed six family members in a series of shootings in the eastern city of Muscatine today before taking his own life. Media reports indicate that at least two of the victims were children. The Muscatine Police Department stated in a release that the initial investigation into the gun violence suggests it "stemmed from a family-related dispute," though the statement did not specify the exact cause of the bloodshed. According to Reuters, shortly after noon local time, police arrived at the scene following initial reports and found four victims shot to death inside a residence. Police Chief Anthony Kies said in a press conference that although the suspect had fled before officers arrived, he was quickly identified as 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland of Muscatine and was found on a riverfront walkway near a pedestrian bridge. Police said that as officers were speaking with him, he took his own life. Subsequently, information revealed there might be other victims, and police discovered two more bodies in a nearby residence and a business, both believed to have been killed by McFarland. Kies stated that all victims are believed to be family members of the gunman. Their identities have not been released. An ABC affiliate reported that at least two of the victims were children. Kies told reporters that McFarland had a criminal record but declined to elaborate. Muscatine is a waterfront town with a population of about 24,000, located across the Mississippi River from Illinois, about 250 kilometers east of the state capital, Des Moines.