Shooting suspect pleads innocent
A suspect in an early December shooting pleaded innocent Thursday.
David Palumbo, 23, of Evans, Wash., pleaded not guilty in Flathead County District Court to attempted deliberate homicide.
Palumbo allegedly was involved in a shootout that landed one man in the hospital. The incident occurred during a robbery gone wrong.
Palumbo is accused of shooting Bryan Schloss, 26, of Kalispell four times in the jaw and abdomen with a .40-caliber handgun.
Shots were fired after Schloss and Bo Hanger, 27, of Whitefish, allegedly attempted to rob Palumbo. At the time, Schloss had a 9-mm pistol, but it jammed during the incident.
According to court documents, on Dec. 5 Hanger and Schloss drove to pick up Palumbo, an alleged drug dealer known to be in Kalispell.
As Hanger drove his Honda CR-V along Springcreek Road, Schloss and Palumbo began arguing. Hanger pulled over near Four Mile Drive and shots were fired around 2:30 p.m.
Palumbo fled and Hanger dropped Schloss off at Kalispell Regional Medical Center and drove away. Hanger later was arrested by Whitefish police.
Palumbo turned himself in to Stevens County, Wash., authorities on Dec. 10 for violating his parole by leaving Washington.
He was extradited to Flathead County.
Schloss, who has been released from the hospital, has been charged with attempted robbery, a felony.
After the shooting, authorities located a .9-mm pistol in the Four Mile Drive area and found a magazine in Schloss’ pocket that matched the magazine found in the gun. A round in the gun and rounds in the magazine also appeared to be the same type of ammunition found in Schloss’ pocket.
Schloss admitted to authorities that he and Hanger picked up Palumbo intending to take drugs without paying.
There is a warrant out for the arrest of Schloss.
Hanger has been released on his own recognizance and awaits trial on April 26. He has pleaded not guilty to one count of accountability to robbery, a felony, and a second count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, also a felony.
If convicted, Palumbo faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.