A tragic incident in Byron, Wyoming, unfolded on Monday, February 10, when 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman shot all four of her daughters, killing three and leaving one critically injured, before turning the gun on herself, according to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office.
The children, aged 2, 2, 7, and 9, were shot inside their home. A 911 call was placed by a woman who reported, “her daughters had been shot” and said she believed her children were dead. She told dispatchers that she was in her upstairs bedroom and planned to shoot herself.
Despite pleas from the dispatcher to stay on the line, the call was disconnected shortly afterward.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found three of the children deceased. Harshman and her 7-year-old daughter, Olivia, were transported to a hospital, where Harshman was pronounced dead. Olivia was airlifted to Billings, Montana, and then transferred to Salt Lake City for specialized neurological care.
A GoFundMe page shared updates on Olivia’s condition, stating she had suffered severe traumatic brain injury and remained in critical condition. “She is fighting hard for her life,” the page noted, adding that the coming days would be crucial for her recovery.
The page identified the oldest child as Brailey and confirmed the two younger victims were half-sisters. They are survived by their father, Quinn, and his wife, Katelynn Blackmer, who also have a one-year-old son.
Byron Mayor Allen Clark expressed the community’s grief, telling MTN News, “In a small community like this, everyone knows everyone. It’s just devastating. I hope and pray the family can endure and find brighter days ahead.”
The GoFundMe for the Blackmer family had raised more than $42,000 by Wednesday afternoon, February 12.
This tragedy occurred just over a year after a similar incident in Massachusetts, where a mother allegedly strangled her three children before attempting to take her own life.
