BUTTE — The police officer who tackled Lloyd Barrus and restrained him right after a shootout with police the morning of May 16, 2017, testified in court that Barrus made a strange comment to him.
Barrus is accused of aiding his son Marshall earlier that morning in the shooting death of Broadwater County Sheriff's Deputy Mason Moore on Highway 287 near Three Forks, before leading police on a high-speed chase.
“Shortly after handcuffing, he made a remark of, ‘We’re evil militia,’” Said Sgt. Tyler Deeks of Anaconda Police.
Officers gave detailed testimony about the shootout with Lloyd Barrus and his son, Marshall, on Interstate 90 just east of Clinton that ended with Lloyd being captured and Marshall being shot and eventually dying from his wounds.
Sgt. Deeks said after he took him into custody at the scene, Lloyd Barrus calmly told police he was captured and to hang him.
“His demeanor, an overall calmness. To me that was not fully what I expected. I would expect him to be more angry or vocal; instead he was rather calm,” said Deeks.
Other officers testified they felt Lloyd and Marshall were trying to kill them during the shootout.
“Do you have any sense where the muzzle flash or gunfire was directed,” asked the prosecutor.
“It was directed towards our position,” said Capt. Auston Micu of Powell County Law Enforcement.
“How can you tell that?" he was asked.
“Because of the muzzle flash,” said Micu.
“Can you explain more?”
“The muzzle flash was rounded as if we were directly out in front,” replied Micu.
Micu also testified that he and other officers gave first aid to Marshall after exchanging gunfire with him. He was asked why he tried to save Marshall’s life: “My job was to stop the threat, not to take someone’s life,” he said.
Testimony is expected to continue on Friday in Lloyd Barrus's trial.
- Prosecution: Barrus intended to help his son kill deputy
- Officers tearfully recall shooting death of Deputy Moore
Deputy Moore was 42 years old when he was killed, and survived by his wife Jodi and three children. Jodi created the Mason Moore Foundation which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for programs or special equipment that may not be available through the standard governmental funding process.
