Montana Highway Patrol Troopers Involved in Critical Incident Near Big Timber

BIG TIMBER, MT – An encounter involving Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) troopers and a Nebraska man wanted on a no-bond warrant ended fatally near Big Timber on Thursday afternoon. Alerted to the suspect’s presence in Montana, MHP located his vehicle around 2:48 pm, leading to a critical incident that lasted approximately three minutes.

Troopers engaged the suspect, who had been fleeing after a traffic stop was initiated. Efforts to immobilize his vehicle using a precision immobilization technique (PIT) failed, and shots were fired by both the suspect and the troopers. The confrontation ended with the suspect shot and pronounced dead at the scene. None of the troopers were injured, and they have subsequently been placed on administrative leave in line with MHP policy.

MHP Colonel Kurt Sager conveyed his appreciation for the troopers’ swift response and the professionalism of the responders. “Without our troopers’ quick thinking and bravery this incident could have been much worse. I’m confident that DCI will conduct a thorough investigation and I’m grateful for their assistance. Our partners at the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office have also been incredibly helpful on scene,” said Sager.

The Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) will be leading the probe into the details of the shooting, while assistance on the scene was promptly provided by the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office.