CRETE, Neb. (AP) — A white Nebraska man described as reclusive and confrontational shot and wounded seven neighbors who are Guatemalan immigrants, and investigators said they are not ruling out racist motives.
About 15 people were at the victims’ home, mostly in the yard, when Billy Booth, 74, opened fire from his house in Crete with a shotgun around 4:30 p.m. Friday, officials said.
Booth killed himself after the shootings. The victims, who are related and include four children ages 3 to 10, are expected to survive.
The shootings shook Crete, a diverse community of about 7,000 residents about 70 miles (110 kilometers) southwest of Omaha. The population is about 50% Hispanic and almost 25% foreign-born.
Booth largely kept to himself but had a history of conflict with his neighbors when he did interact with them, the Omaha World-Herald reported.
Police previously received a complaint from the family that Booth had made an obscene gesture and told them to go back to where they came from and “speak English,” Crete Police Chief Gary Young said Saturday. The family did not press charges, he said.
Investigators were trying to determine the motive and were not ruling out a racial motivation, he said.
“The context to ‘go home’ and ‘speak English’ lends itself to that,” the chief said.
Neighbors said Booth butted heads with white neighbors on his street, too.
“He hated everybody,” said Dave Hansen, whose home is next door to Booth’s.
—
Rephrased content:
In Crete, Nebraska, a 74-year-old reclusive man named Billy Booth shot and wounded seven Guatemalan immigrant neighbors before taking his own life. The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on a Friday when Booth opened fire on a group of about 15 people, mainly in the victims’ yard, using a shotgun. Fortunately, the victims, including four children aged 3 to 10 who are all related, are expected to survive the attack.
The town of Crete, with a population of approximately 7,000 residents located 70 miles southwest of Omaha, was deeply shaken by the shootings. Described as a diverse community, Crete is comprised of about 50% Hispanic residents and almost 25% foreign-born individuals. Booth, known for his reclusive nature, had a history of conflicts with neighbors, as reported by the Omaha World-Herald.
Before the shooting, the police had received a complaint from the targeted family stating that Booth had made offensive gestures and instructed them to go back to their home country and speak English. Despite the family not pursuing legal action, the authorities have not ruled out racist motives and are investigating the incident further to determine the underlying cause, considering the racially charged comments Booth had previously made.
Crete Police Chief Gary Young mentioned that the statements made by Booth, such as telling the family to “go home” and “speak English,” suggest a potential racial motivation behind the attack. Additionally, neighbors revealed that Booth had conflicting relationships with other white residents in the neighborhood, displaying animosity towards various individuals. Dave Hansen, a neighbor residing next to Booth’s house, indicated that Booth held a disdainful attitude towards everyone he encountered.
