One person has been hospitalized after law enforcement in Deer Lodge shot him following a short standoff on Monday morning.
The Deer Lodge Police Department, the Montana Highway Patrol, and other agencies responded.
There are several homes in the neighborhood where the standoff took place and some residents said they heard the gunfire. One resident, who lives just across the street from where the standoff occurred actually saw the gunfight take place.
Joe Spier said, “I looked over and could see the two cops behind the building there and the one had a decent rifle and then all the sudden I heard tic-tic-tic-tic and could see stuff flying off the back of the house.”
He was so surprised by the events he thought he was actually witnessing a police training exercise.
Spier said, “Seen them coming out the back of the house, seen the glass flying. I thought at first it was a training exercise; they were shooting paintball guns because you could see the blast. That’s when I called dispatch, because maybe this wasn’t a training exercise.”
During the standoff, nearby schools were put on lockdown until the situation was all clear.
Sheriff Howard said the man is being treated at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula.
Agents with the state’s Division of Criminal Investigation have been called in to investigate this shooting.
Sheriff Howard said he would release more details about the standoff Tuesday.
There is no word yet on the suspect’s condition. His name has not been released.
- Reported by John Emeigh
