HAMILTON — A Ravalli County Sheriff's deputy was involved in a deadly shooting on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, north of Stevensville.
Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton said the deputy wasn't hurt, but a man was declared dead at the scene.
Sheriff Holton said the shooting happened during a call for service at the man's residence.
The man who dies has been identified as Laurence John Conklin. The name of the deputy has not yet been released.
The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is investigating the incident with the Missoula County Coroner's Office at the request of the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Holton said the case would be turned over to the Ravalli County Attorney's Office once the investigation is complete so that a Coroner's Inquest can be conducted.
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The deputy is on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for these circumstances.
Sheriff Holton stated it's common practice to request outside agencies to investigate cases such as officer-involved shootings to ensure transparency and avoid any perception of conflicts of interest.
The DCI is now investigating the incident.
