BILLINGS, Mont. (NMB) – A Box Elder man died of gunshot wounds he suffered when he pointed a gun at Billings police officers who were trying to take him into custody.
Billings police said officers responded to a reported disturbance at about 10:20 p.m. Monday where they found three suspects.
As officers tried to detain a 29-year-old man from Box Elder a physical altercation occurred on the ground.
Two officers fired multiple rounds from their department-issued glock 9mm caliber handguns, hitting the man.
The man was taken to the hospital where he died. His name has not been released, as officers are still notifying the family.
Billings Police Chief Rich St. John says the man killed was well known to law enforcement as a probation and parole absconder out of Hill County.
A black semi-automatic handgun was found at the scene, which St. John says the victim pulled out of his waistband and pointed at the officers.
An initial assessment shows no shots were fired by the man killed.
No other injuries were reported, and the other two suspects were not arrested. St. John says one of the two cars used in the incident was stolen.
The shooting is still under investigation and the two officers involved are on paid administrative leave.
The officers were not wearing body cameras, but St. John says multiple in-car cameras have video and audio of the incident.
This story has been updated following a press conference from the Billings Police Department. Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
