GREAT FALLS — Conner Kaiser, 17 years old, has been charged with negligent homicide in Great Falls after he allegedly shot 19-year old Chance Weidman in the head, killing him.
Court document state that police were dispatched at about 9 p.m. on Thursday to a house at 1219 6th Avenue South for a report of a male with a gunshot wound to his head. Two witnesses outside the residence said there was a male inside with a gunshot wound to his head. Officers went inside and found a male in the living room area about eight feet inside. The male had a wound on his forehead and there was a large pool of blood on the floor under his head. Based on training and experience and the way the body is located, it appears he died instantaneously and collapsed when he was shot.
A 9mm handgun was found on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen, and a number of shell casings on the floor in the room. The majority of the spent casings are .22 caliber, but one 9 mm casing could be seen as well. The 9mm handgun had five rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. The handgun can hold seven rounds when fully loaded. The court documents say that the wound on his forehead appears to be an exit wound and it appears he was shot in the back of the head.
There were witnesses to the shooting, according to court documents. One was looking at his phone and his ears began to ring. He then heard Kaiser say “I just killed Chance!” The juvenile on his phone said he had seen Kaiser playing with the brown handgun prior to the gunshot. The 911 caller, Cooper, described the incident in his call and said one of his buddies was playing with a gun and accidentally shot another of their friends.
Cooper Bridenthal was there when it happened and said of Chance, “Everyone loved him, he was an awesome dude. He was a tough guy, no matter what, he kept moving. It was really hard to see it just come to an end like that. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
Kaiser ran from the scene before officers arrived. He was found near 1506 2nd Avenue North which is the house of a family member. He reportedly showed up and sat on a bed and cried.
He was taken to the Great Falls Police Department to be interviewed, and refused to answer any questions without a lawyer. Kaiser has two cases pending currently, according to the charging documents.
Officers ran the serial number on the Springfield 9mm and determined the gun was reported stolen. It was stolen in a car break-in in August 2019.
Kaiser made his initial appearance in Youth Court on Friday morning, but Cascade County Attorney Josh Racki told KRTV that Kaiser will likely be tried as an adult.
We will update you as we get more information.
(1st REPORT, THURSDAY, 10:46 pm) Emergency personnel responded to an incident along 6th Avenue South in Great Falls on Thursday.
KRTV began receiving reports at about 9:15 pm of the incident.
We were told by several people that there were at least five police cars, one ambulance, a fire truck along 6th Avenue South between 12th Street and 13th Street.
As of 9:45 pm, there were still three police cars along 6th Avenue South, and another police car blocking the alley between 6th and 5th Avenue South.
Yellow police tape is stretched across at least three of the yards on the north side of 6th Avenue South.
None of the officers at the scene were available to comment on the incident, and we have not yet been able to contact the on-duty shift commander.
There is no indication of any danger to the public.
We will update you when we get details about the incident.
