Man Who Told Neighbors to Go 'Back to Where they Came From' Opens Fire, Injuring 7: Police

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NTV News

Four children and three adults were injured in the shooting; the 74-year-old suspect was found dead in his home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as his history with his neighbors is revealed.

A Crete, Nebraska man suspected of opening fire on his neighbors is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an incident which left seven -- including four children -- injured.

Nebraska State Patrol confirmed that on Friday, officers from Crete Police Department and Salint County Deputies responded to an active shooter situation around 4:30pm. "As they approached the scene, officers could hear gunfire still occurring," read a press release, with officers finding "several victims" inside a residence and identifying the gunfire as coming from a house across the street.

NSP says six victims were initially transported to Crete Area Medical Center for treatment, before a seventh "realized hours later that he had been struck" and was also taken to the hospital. There were seven victims total, including three adults and four children, ranging in age from 3 to 10. Four have already been released and all are expected to survive "non-life-threatening" injuries, said authorities.

After safely getting the victims away from the scene, NSP's SWAT Team was activated -- entering the home 2 hours after the initial call and locating the occupant, 74-year-old Billy Booth, dead from a self-inflcted gunshot wound. A shotgun was found near his body and believed to be the only weapon used in the shooting. Per NSP, all rounds fired by Booth came from within his home.

Around 15 people were at the victim's home at the time of the shooting, noted authorities. While most of the victims were outside, one victim was stuck while inside the home.

During a press conference over the weekend, Crete Police Chief Gary Young Jr. said there was a bit of a history between the suspect and the victims.

"Not necessarily associated with the victims' house, but cars driving too fast in the neighborhood, improper parking, nuisance properties, quality-of-life type issues," Young said of Booth's complaints to police. "There was a single report from the victims that the suspect had flipped them off, told them to 'Go home' or 'back to where they came from,' to 'Speak English.'"

Per police, all the victims are believed to be Hispanic.

According to Young, while police were willing to escalate the case, the family declined at the time; that alleged incident happened in May. "That resolved the situation, so we had no further contact," he added, before being asked if there was a racial element to the shooting.

"There could be, we don't know," said Young. "Certainly the context of 'Go home' and 'Speak English' lends itself to that."

The motive remains under investigation.