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Deadly shooting leads to stand-off in Missoula

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A suspect was arrested on a pending charge of deliberate homicide after a man was shot dead on Monday, June 3, in Missoula.

Police officers were called to a residence in the 1700 block of 8th Street West just after 7:30 p.m. on reports that a person had been shot.

Officers arrived and attempted life-saving measures on a 56-year-old man; the man died at the scene. His name has not yet been released.



Witnesses said that the 35-year-old suspect, John Henry "Joan" Eikens, returned to a residence with a gun and refused to come out.

 John Henry "Joan" Eikens
John Henry "Joan" Eikens

The SWAT and the Crisis Negotiation teams were called to the scene and negotiators made several attempts to contact Eikens for several hours but were unsuccessful.

SWAT eventually "employed various procedures and operations to apprehend Eikens, including the use of less-than-lethal methods, including chemical agent and flash sound distraction devices."

Eikens was taken into custody without further incident shortly after 11 p.m. and is being held in the Missoula County Detention Center on pending charges of deliberate homicide, obstructing a peace officer, and resisting arrest.

Suspect arrested after a deadly shooting in Missoula
Suspect arrested after a deadly shooting in Missoula