The alleged shooter died from a gunshot wound as officers tried to arrest him.
At around 12:12 local time, the alerted police and emergency services found four dead people in one of the houses. Officers then encountered 52-year-old Ryan Willis McFarland nearby on a path along the Mississippi River.
— While talking to McFarland, the man took his own life. Officers and emergency medical personnel attempted to render aid to him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said.
Shooting in the USA. “I'm just lost for words”
Investigators also found the bodies of two more men who died of gunshot wounds. Authorities said one body was discovered at another residential home and the other at a nearby business premises.
– I am simply at a loss for words – regarding this act of evil and what the perpetrator has done to our community – ABC News quotes the words of the local police chief.
— Preliminary findings indicate that the shootings had their origins in a family dispute. All victims were believed to be family members of the deceased suspect, the Muscatine Police Department said.
According to Kies, the suspect had a previous criminal record. However, the police chief did not provide details about his criminal past. The homicide investigation is ongoing.
