Female News director and family friend murdered in her house

The female news director of a western Montana television station has been shot dead along with a male family friend in an apparent attempted double murder-suicide at her home, police have said.

Kalee Scolatti, 34, was reportedly at her house in Brooks Street, Missoula, with the male shooter, 36, on Wednesday night when she called her friend, Anthony Dupras, 46,and asked him to come over.

After Dupras arrived at the property, the gunman allegedly opened fire, shooting bothScolatti and Dupras. A neighbor called 911 at around 6.40pm after hearing Scolatti's screams and the gunshots.

The shooter, who has not yet been identified by officials, then turned the gun on himself, police said. He was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, where he remains in a critical condition.