RONAN – A teen wanted in connection with a shooting that happened last week in Ronan has been arrested.
The 16-year-old was taken into custody after a pursuit that ended with the suspect’s vehicle flipped over and on fire.
The Ronan Police Department reported that a CSKT Tribal Officer saw the suspect in a vehicle in the Pablo area Saturday and tried to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.
The CSKT officer asked for help from the Ronan Police Department K9 team and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said that during the pursuit, a handgun was thrown from the vehicle and the occupants inside of the vehicle switched spots while the vehicle was being pursued, putting the shooting suspect into the driver’s seat.
The chase continued until the vehicle crashed and overturned on Duck Road, throwing two occupants from the vehicle, which then caught on fire.
The shooting suspect fled on foot and was eventually taken into custody by law enforcement with the use of Ronan Police K9 Sandor.
All of the occupants involved in the incident were taken to hospitals in Ronan, Polson, and Missoula to be treated for their injuries.
The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to a secure facility in Missoula.
The 16-year-old was wanted in connection with a November 15 shooting that happened in the 300 block of 12th Avenue Northwest in Ronan.
-Reported by Mark Thorsell/MTN News
(November 16, 2018) Police in Ronan said that on Thursday at about 4:30 p.m. officers were advised of a person seeking treatment at St. Luke’s Hospital for a gunshot wound.
Officers determined that the 25-year-old shooting victim, who is currently in stable condition with injuries that are not life-threatening injuries, had been shot at a residence in the 300 block of 12th Avenue NW in Ronan.
Initial investigations showed that the shooting suspect is a 16-year-old.
A 33-year-old male is also being sought as a person of interest in the investigation.
Names are not being released at this time pending further investigation.
Ronan officials were able to locate the suspect vehicle used during the incident and interviewed the occupants. Based on information obtained during interviews, officers followed leads of possible locations of the suspect. Searches of the locations were performed and additional information was gathered.
Despite efforts by the Ronan Police Department with the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, CSKT Tribal Law and Order, Montana Highway Patrol and the St. Ignatius Police Department, the suspect has not yet been apprehended.
At this time the Ronan Police Department is working with the Lake County Attorney’s Office to obtain arrest warrants.
