BILLINGS — A woman inside the Emergency Department at Billings Clinic shot herself before an officer shot her, the Billings Police Department said in a news release on Monday, October 17, 2022.
The shooting happened on Sunday at 5:11 p.m. as officers responded to the hospital for a weapons complaint that was described as a woman in the emergency department with a loaded gun threatening to shoot herself.
Four officers responded within minutes, the news release states, and as they entered the hospital the 36-year-old Billings woman fired one round.
"Officer made contact with the individual in the triage area of the emergency department and the individual had sustained a single self-inflicted gunshot wound," the press release states. "Upon making contact the individual then picked up the handgun, ignoring commands to stop."
Officer Blaine Lane then "fired one round from his handgun striking the individual," the news release states. "Officers were able to secure the individual and the firearm, and medical care was administered."
Police initially said in a social media post that "shots were fired between subject and police."
No one else was injured. The woman shot herself in the torso, police said in a further clarification, but did not disclose where the officer shot her.
Lane is a two-year member of the department and has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is completed, as per department policy.
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22-73326 Shooting *Clarification* As Ofcs arrived on scene susp fired one round. One Ofc fired at the susp and susp was struck and then taken into custody. -Lt. Lennick https://t.co/ENCmcFUvQS
— BillingsPD (@BillingsPD) October 17, 2022
