7 Wounded Including 4 Children in Nebraska Shooting by 74-Year-Old Neighbor in Alleged Hate Crime

A Nebraska man shot seven people, including four children, all assumed to be Hispanic, after formerly telling them to "go back to where they came from" and to "speak English," according to police.

7 Wounded Including 4 Children in Nebraska Shooting

Billy Booth, 74, opened fire on his neighbors from inside his Crete home around 4:30 p.m. on Friday before taking his own life, the Nebraska State Patrol reported.

Around 15 people were at the locations, with most casualties outside when the shooting happened.

The victims included three adults aged 22 to 43 and four kids aged 3 to 10, according to the police. Some casualties have been cured and discharged, while one is getting care in Lincoln and two children are at Children's Nebraska in Omaha.

None of the wounded are life-threatening. All casualties are believed to be Hispanic, as per police declarations.

Upon arrival, police found the casualties with gunshot injuries outside the home and the suspect inside his home. A firearm was found nearby.

Authorities signified there was no immediate dispute before the shooting, but Booth had a history of conflicts with the family, including complaints about parking and other nuisances.

There were also reports that Booth had previously told them to "go back to where they came from" and to "speak English."

Crete Police Chief Gary Young Jr. noted that since 2021, police had responded to several neighborhood complaints, mostly from Booth about issues like driving behavior and parking.

Young explained, "Not necessarily related to the victim's house, but about cars driving too fast in the neighborhood, improper parking, nuisance properties, and quality-of-life issues."

There was a single report from the victims that Booth had made derogatory comments, but the family chose not to pursue the matter further, and it was resolved at the time.

Read Also: Family of 13-Year-Old Boy Shot by Police in New York Demands Justice

Alleged of Hate Crime Motive Surface Amidst Tragic Shooting

Joshua Morales, a friend of one of the victims, said he was aware of previous incidents with Booth and believed the shooting was racially motivated. "[Booth] was supposedly telling [the friend's] parents to go back to their country, and they had problems." 

He guessed it escalated to the point where he shot up the house. "It seems it was a racist act," Morales said. He added that the shooter shot his friend and his friend's mother, who was hit four times in the back.

Officers heard a single gunshot from Booth's house, where they found him deceased. Two firearms were discovered, but only one shotgun was used in the incident. Booth had legal permission to own a firearm.

The gunfire originated from Booth's home at 1810 Parkland Street. Investigators believe Booth acted alone and are still determining the motive.

Crete Police, Saline County deputies, Nebraska State Troopers, and other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene. The Nebraska State Police SWAT Team breached Booth's home around 6:40 p.m. No police officers discharged their firearms.

Captain Caradori assured the public that the situation was resolved and there was no ongoing threat.

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