Police say a man killed his family with a gun, called 911, and then killed himself Monday morning. The bodies of a couple and their two young children were found in a house in northwest Montana.
Kalispell is a city of just under 30,000 people that is in the shadow of Glacier National Park. Police said the man had said some scary things to a 911 operator before they arrived at the home in Silverbrook Estates just before 6 a.m. Sunday.
It was found that the family, which included a 7-month-old and a 6-year-old, had been shot and killed inside the home, according to Kalispell Police Chief Jordan Venezio.
Katie Olson-Hartley, 27, was named as the mother by police. Nicholas Olson-Hartley, 33, was named as the father and accused shooter.
“After collecting evidence throughout the day and interviewing numerous people, we believe this tragic event to be the result of a murder-suicide,” said Venezio.
The chief said that agents think Nicholas Olson-Hartley killed his family before he called 911 and made vague comments that officials only called “concerning.”
“It appears Nicholas Olson-Hartley took the lives of his young family before calling 911,” said Venezio. “After making the phone call to dispatch, he took his own life.”
The chief said that the events were still being looked into.
The bodies were found the day after a husband, wife, and their two teenage children were found dead in their Nebraska home. The Nebraska State Patrol said it looked like the deaths were a murder-suicide.
Court records in Montana show that Nicholas Olson-Hartley applied for a marriage license in 2018 with his wife’s name on it. Katie Olson-Hartley’s Facebook page, which NBC News checked out, has many photos of her two daughters that she is very happy of.
In 2023, she called a picture of herself and Nicholas Olson-Hartley in the fall leaves a loving portrait. Katie Olson-Hartley wrote in the comments, “This is how people look at each other in movies when they’re in love.”
Silverbrook Estates is the name of the planned community next to the Stillwater River. The homes there were built in the last five years, and some are for sale for more than $1 million.
Western Craft Homes, the company that built the community, said in a statement on Monday, “We are deeply saddened by the recent tragic loss of one of our Silverbrook families.” We are sorry for your loss and send our condolences to everyone who is grieving, especially the extended family, neighbors, and friends who were touched by this terrible event.
It told people in the neighborhood to value each other.
“Let us honor the lives lost by fostering kindness, reaching out, and lifting one another up,” it stated. “Let’s help, listen, and genuinely care.” We can help each other if we choose kindness and information.