Big Sky Times

After a recent barricading incident took place in Bozeman, the body of a deceased man was found at the location.

The Bozeman Police Department received a report just before 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 27, regarding an incident of domestic violence at a property located in the 1600 block of Tschache Lane, a KPAX news release said. When police officers arrived at the scene, they began to investigate a male who was not cooperative with them. At that time, the subject barricaded himself inside the property. Forty minutes after the officers' arrival, they reported hearing a single gunshot fired in the area.

After that moment, the Special Response Team (SRT) was activated and the neighbors in the immediate area were given the order to evacuate. Officers entered the home some hours later and found the body of a person with a gunshot wound that seemed to be self-inflicted. The death was immediately thought to be a suicide by the officers who investigated it.

At present, the Bozeman Police Department is not providing the general public with any information regarding the male suspect's identity. The coroner's office of Gallatin County will release that information at a later time.

"The goal of the Special Response Team (SRT) is to provide for the safety and protection of the people it serves by providing a highly coordinated efficient response, directed toward concluding extraordinary or critical incidents in the safest manner possible," the team's web page said. The SRT was established with the primary purpose of performing lifesaving operations. The team responds to critical emergencies that might be beyond the capabilities of patrol units, such as situations involving suspects who are armed and barricaded, scenarios involving hostages, and high-risk warrant service.

The SRT is made up of experienced law enforcement officers from the Bozeman Police Department and the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office. Each team member has demonstrated that they are up to the task by passing a battery of difficult examinations and consistently engaging in training. In addition to the Primary SWAT training that is conducted at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, members of the SRT receive advanced training in specialized areas that might pertain to specific assignments. Those areas include hostage negotiations, marksman/observer, entry breaching, less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, and other areas as might be needed.

The SRT can provide invaluable assistance to the Bozeman Police Department and the city of Bozeman. Without this team in place and on call, the community would be forced to rely on response teams arriving from other locations during a time when every passing moment could be critical.