Four die in Byron shooting

Tragedy struck the otherwise peaceful, quiet community of Byron on Monday afternoon, when a mother of four allegedly shot all of her children before turning the gun on herself. 

Authorities came upon the heartbreaking scene after responding to a call, they believe was made by the mother, to Big Horn County dispatch at 1:29 p.m., advising 911 operators that four children had been shot in a residence on the south side of Byron. According to a press release issued by the sheriff’s department on Tuesday afternoon, the caller told the dispatcher exactly where the children could be found in the home, adding that she could be found in her upstairs bedroom where she planned to do the same to herself. Though the dispatcher pleaded with the woman to stay on the line, the caller hung up.

Upon arrival at the residence, located at 239 East Shoshone in Byron, first responders found the children and their mother, 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman, with gunshot wounds. The sheriff’s press release stated that, upon entering the home, officers observed two female children aged 2 and 9 years old deceased with gunshot wounds to the head and two female children aged 2 and 7 years also wounded but still alive. An adult female, who was later identified as the mother of the children, was found still exhibiting signs of life with a single gunshot wound to the head. Immediate lifesaving first aid to the survivors was administered by responding officers prior to ambulances arriving. The 2-year-old died shortly after first responders arrived.  

All five were transported by ambulance to North Big Horn Hospital. Blackburn noted that, since there were multiple victims, Powell Valley Hospital ambulance services assisted North Big Horn Hospital ambulances with the transportation to the hospital in Lovell. 

Soon after the incident, the one surviving child was transported by air from Lovell to Billings, where she received an advanced level of care. Once stabilized she was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City for further treatment of serious head injuries. By Tuesday, the child had undergone surgery and was responding well. Her vitals continue to look promising as she fights for her life in the Utah hospital.  

The mother was also found alive but severely injured with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was transported by ground ambulance to Billings, where she died on Tuesday.

Blackburn noted that the investigation is still evolving and he could not say what triggered the incident. He confirmed that the mother is the one suspected of the shootings. 

“It is believed at this time, though not confirmed, that she turned the gun on herself after shooting the children,” said Blackburn.

The suspect’s husband, Cliff Harshman, was not present at the scene, as he was working out of state at the time the shooting took place. Harshman is the natural father of the two youngest children. The couple has been married for about four and a half years. The father of the two older children, Quinn Blackmer, lives out of state.

The children aged 2 to 9 years old are Jordan Harshman, 2, Brooke Harshman, who would have been 3 years old this month, Brailey Blackmer, 9, and the sole survivor, 7-year-old Olivia Blackmer. The two oldest children were first and third grade students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Cowley. RMES principal Eric Honeyman sent the following message to staff and parents on Monday afternoon: 

“It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the loss of one or more of our students, Olivia and/or Brailey Blackmer. This loss will deeply affect our communities, and our thoughts are with both of these girls, their families and friends during this incredibly difficult time.

“We understand that this news may evoke strong emotions among students and staff alike. Please know that we have counselors available on-site to support anyone who may need assistance processing this loss. They will be available throughout the next couple of days, and we encourage anyone in need of support to reach out.”

Honeyman encouraged parents to reach out to the school for any added resources their children may need.  

“We will make every effort to help you and your child,” he said.

Blackburn, who sounded shaken by the incident at the time of his interview with the Lovell Chronicle on Monday night, said, “People read about this sort of thing in the news all the time, but it’s taking place in other areas. It’s extremely traumatic when something like this takes place in one of our small communities. This is an example of how important it is for our communities to look out for one another and to support one another during tough times. 

“There are some people in our community who work really hard to keep track of how others are doing. This is really helpful, because this is the kind of tragedy that just tears us apart as a community. Though it can tear us apart, it can also make us stronger, especially if we support each other.”

In addition to deputies from the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, other first responders included members of the Lovell Police Department and the Wyoming Highway Patrol and medical personnel from local hospitals.

“On behalf of the officers, emergency personnel and hospital staff that responded to this difficult circumstance, we thank the many people who reached out to us, understanding how difficult this kind of call is for us to see. We want you all to know how much we appreciate your calls and concern. We are grateful that we live in such a caring community. Though it’s hard for the first responders, it’s even harder for the families of the victims and our hearts go out to them. We ask everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

Blackburn said the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation has been asked to assist with the investigation of the case. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Cliff Harshman to help pay for funerals and other expenses. The site was widely circulated on social media and by Wednesday morning had already raised more than $70,000 to assist the family with expenses.