First Kill 2017

Will returns to Granville to bond with his son

Will Beeman moves his wife Laura and their son Danny to his hometown Granville, Ohio in an effort to heal their fractured family and help Danny cope with bullying. He hopes the change of scenery will bring them closer together. In Granville, he reconnects with Police Chief Marvin Howell, a family friend who warns him to take precautions after hearing about a recent bank robbery.

Bank robbery and the first shooting

While teaching Danny to hunt at a shooting station, Will and Danny witness a tense confrontation where money is sought at a drop-off. The unarmed man is shot in the shoulder, and Will kills the gunman in self-defense. He later discovers the gunman was a police officer who had not identified himself, evidenced by a concealed badge.

Wounded gunman taken to the family cabin; Danny hostage

Will brings the wounded gunman to the family cabin for Laura, a surgeon, to provide aid and potentially save the other witness. The gunman regains consciousness and seizes Danny at knifepoint, demanding Will retrieve a discarded key in exchange for Danny's freedom.

Will subdues Richie and heads to the bulletin board; gunman flees with Danny

A uniformed officer, Richie Stechel, arrives and opens fire on Will and the gunman. The gunman directs Will to meet him at a bulletin board after the key is retrieved. The gunman then absconds with Will's car and Danny, forcing Will to pursue.

Levi Barrett’s backstory revealed to Danny

Danny bonds with Levi Barrett and learns the reasons behind the bank robbery. Howell and the Stechel brothers allegedly engineered the heist and planned to use Levi as the fall guy. Levi had joined the scheme to raise money to help Mabel Fantion, the cancer-stricken mother of his girlfriend Adele.

Mabel’s map: post office stash and underground bunker

Howell interviews Will and questions his motives, while Will receives a map from Mabel revealing the post office location containing the stolen money and the underground bunker used for the exchange. Howell is momentarily distracted by a radio call, giving Will a narrow window to act.

Key unlocks the mailbox; cash recovered

Using the key, Will unlock the mailbox that hides the stolen cash and retrieves the money. He briefly evades Howell but is eventually tracked down again as he handles the money, moving closer to a resolution of the hostage crisis.

Bunker plan unfolds; Levi’s capture and reunion with Danny

Howell arranges transport to the bunker to apprehend Levi. Will hands the money to Levi and is reunited with Danny, creating a moment of family solidarity amid the rising danger.

Laura kidnapped; Adele murdered by Howell

Simultaneously, Richie kidnaps Laura from the family cabin and drives her to Howell's location to use her as leverage. In a brutal turn, Adele is murdered by Howell, intensifying the personal stakes and marking Howell as the principal antagonist.

Watchtower climax: Danny acts, Will intervenes

Levi distracts Howell while Laura ducks for cover, and Will and Danny retreat to a hunter's watchtower. Danny, inspired by Levi’s anti-bullying advice, retrieves a pistol from the unconscious Richie and aims at Howell, but Will stops him from firing.

Howell’s downfall: father-killer confession and final shot

In the final confrontation, Howell reveals himself as the man who murdered Will's father years earlier. Levi keeps Howell occupied while Laura hides, and Will shoots Howell in the head, ending his threat.

Aftermath: deaths and police questioning

Levi dies from his injuries, and Mabel Fantion dies after Howell removes her life support. Richie is taken in for questioning as the town processes the fallout. The Beeman family decides to lay down their hunting rifle and return home to rebuild their lives.

Media reaction to recovered loot

With the loot recovered and corrupt elements exposed, non-corrupt officers appear on the news to boast about the outcome, while the town grapples with the violence that unfolded.