On Friday evening, June 28, 2024, tranquility was disrupted in a Crete, Nebraska suburban neighborhood as a shooting spree resulted in seven people, including four children, being injured. The assailant, 74-year-old Billy Booth, a neighbor of the victims, initiated the attack before taking his own life. Officials are considering a racial motive behind the shooting.
The event unfolded approximately at 4:33 p.m. on Crestline Drive. Multiple distress calls to 911 about an ongoing shooting led to a rapid response from Crete police and the Nebraska State Patrol. On reaching the site, officers heard gunshots and immediately evacuated the victims. A SWAT team later discovered Booth, the suspect, dead in his residence from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, with a shotgun found close by.
The victims were part of a gathering at a house where around 15 people were present. The victims comprised four children, aged three to 10, and three adults. Some victims were indoors, whereas others were outside when the shooting started. All victims are believed to be Hispanic, originating from Guatemala, and it was confirmed by the authorities that some have been discharged from the hospital while others remained for additional treatment.
Crete Police Chief Gary Young disclosed that there had been previous complaints about Booth, primarily about his driving conduct and parking conflicts. While the investigation is still underway, he suggested that Booth’s earlier remarks could hint at a racial motive. “Certainly, the context of ‘Go home’ and ‘Speak English’ lends itself to that,” Young stated.
Sawyer Hanson, a neighbor’s grandson, said that Booth had previous issues, but none of this magnitude. He noted that Booth would sometimes appear normal, but at other times become inexplicably irate. “There were times when he seemed like an ordinary person, and you wouldn’t give him a second thought. But other times, he would yell about anything and everything. No one did anything to provoke him or trigger that kind of anger,” he said.
Crete Mayor Dave Bauer stressed that this incident is not representative of the community. He affirmed, “Crete remains the same welcoming place it has always been. We’ve experienced changes over the years, but they have been positive. We can overcome this incident by embracing these changes and moving forward together.”
As the investigation progresses, officials are appealing to the public for any relevant information.