1 dead in Trout Creek standoff

One person is dead and another injured after an hours-long standoff in Trout Creek on Friday. According to a press release from the Sanders County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), law enforcement received a call about 12:30 a.m. Friday pertaining to a 35-year-old man with a handgun and a semi-automatic rifle who had barricaded himself inside the Naughty Pine Saloon.

SCSO, with assistance from Flathead and Missoula County Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, attempted to negotiate with the suspect. "Although the majority of the patrons were safely removed, a family member to the subject refused to leave and remained behind. Following negotiations with law enforcement and subsequent tear gas deployment, the family member was safely removed and taken into custody," SCSO's press release stated. However, upon further investigation after the incident, it is believed that the individual who stayed behind was of no relation, according to Sanders County Undersheriff Lanny Hensley.

Law enforcement set a base of operations at the Trout Creek Rural Fire Department, about a half mile from the Naughty Pine. Later in the afternoon, after several attempts of negotiating without success, local authorities turned the situation over to SWAT. After some time, the suspect exited the Naughty Pine with a firearm and police officers used non-lethal ammunition in an effort to detain the suspect. With the less-than-lethal ammunition having no effect and the suspect opening fire on the officers, the pursuing officers returned fire. The suspect wounded a female officer from the Flathead and was fatally wounded when law enforcement returned fire. The wounded officer was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center for treatment and was released that same day.

The Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) conducted an independent investigation of the shooting. "These are always complex cases and will require thorough crime scene processing, extensive interviews, and a full assessment of the events leading up to the incident," said DCI Administrator Bryan Lockerby. "With multiple law enforcement agencies involved and dynamic events happening, it takes a considerable amount of resources for a thorough and thoughtful investigation." Once the investigation is complete, it will be reviewed by the Sanders County Attorney's Office." The Sanders County Sheriff's Office would like to express how grateful they are for the assistance of all departments involved with this unfortunate situation," SCSO stated in its press release.