Big Sky Times

Two Montana Highway Patrol troopers were involved in a critical incident on Thursday afternoon near Big Timber. The incident involved a suspect from Nebraska who had a no-bond arrest warrant for threatening to use explosives or place bombs.

At about 2:48 p.m., a trooper located the suspect’s vehicle near Big Timber and requested assistance from another trooper in the area. When the trooper attempted a traffic stop, the suspect fled. A precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver was attempted but failed. The suspect then fired shots, prompting the troopers to return fire. "Soon after, the troopers advised the suspect was down." The entire incident lasted about three minutes.

The suspect was identified as suicidal, armed, and dangerous, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The two troopers involved were uninjured and are on administrative leave, according to Montana Highway Patrol's standard policy.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office provided assistance shortly after the incident. The Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is leading the investigation.