According to the police, Billy Booth, who is 74 years old, allegedly directed racist remarks towards his victims, who are all believed to be of Hispanic origin. Witnesses claim that he told them to “go back to where they came from” and to “speak English.” The incident occurred on Friday evening inside Booth’s home in Crete, which left four children, aged between three and 10, and three adults, aged between 22 and 43, injured.
Fortunately, none of the individuals involved in the shooting sustained life-threatening injuries. Tragically, Booth was found deceased at the scene due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Approximately 15 individuals were present at Booth’s residence on Crestline Drive when the incident occurred. Most of the individuals were located in the yard at the time of the shooting, but at least one person was hit while inside the house.
According to a report by the Lexington Clipper-Herald, there was a victim named Alberto Bautista who was shot together with his wife and their grandchild while children were playing nearby. Six of the victims were immediately taken to the hospital, while the seventh only discovered his injury later that evening. Out of the seven, four have already been discharged, while the remaining three are still receiving medical attention, including two who are being treated in a children’s hospital located in Omaha.
According to Nebraska State Patrol Colonel John Bolduc, a SWAT team was dispatched to the location to apprehend someone believed to be a “barricaded subject.” After further investigation, it was discovered that the gunfire originated from a solitary residence situated at 1810 Parkland Street.
According to NBC News, police arrived at the residence at approximately 6:40 pm and found Booth deceased with a shotgun in close proximity. Bolduc stated that the initial investigation indicates that the shots fired were from inside the house. Additionally, he mentioned that investigators are actively working on the case to comprehend the entire situation. However, he confirmed that there was no communication between the perpetrator and the victims before the shooting occurred.
According to officials, there had been ongoing conflicts between Booth and the families of the victims. Multiple complaints had been filed since 2021, largely from those who are now deceased. Crete Police Chief Gary Young Jr explained that these complaints were not necessarily related to the victims’ residence. They mostly centered around issues such as speeding cars in the neighborhood, improper parking, and problem properties that impacted the quality of life in the area.
According to the police, the victims reported that the suspect had gestured an offensive hand signal towards them while uttering derogatory remarks such as “Go home” or “back to where they came from,” and “Speak English.” However, the family decided not to escalate the issue further at that moment.
According to KETV, Joshua Morales, a friend of one of the victims, shared that he knew of past incidents involving Booth and suspected that the shootings were racially motivated. Morales explained that Booth had reportedly told his friend’s parents to “go back to their country,” which resulted in conflicts. Morales believed that the recent shooting was also a result of racism since Booth had targeted a Hispanic family and told them to leave the country.
Young was asked if the shootings were racially motivated, to which he responded, “There could be, we don’t know. Certainly, the statements of ‘Go home’ and ‘Speak English’ create that possibility,” highlighting the importance of context. The police are still investigating Booth’s motives and have requested the public to come forward with any relevant information.