Whitefish police investigating Saturday morning shootings

Police are investigating semi-automatic gunfire reported early Saturday morning in Whitefish, believed to be responsible for two dead deer that were found and a shot-up pet store on Third Street.

Whitefish Police Department officers responded to the area of Baker Avenue and Third Street at 4 a.m. to investigate a report of gunfire, Chief Bill Dial said in a press release.

Police canvassed the area but found nothing.

At 7:45 a.m., police received information that a deer was found shot to death in a yard in that area.

During their investigation, police found numerous shell casings in the street near the Whitefish Credit Union.

At 9:20 a.m., a caller reported an injured deer lying in the yard of the Presbyterian Church at Third Street and Central Avenue. An investigation indicated that the deer had been shot and managed to make its way to the church before lying down. The deer had to be destroyed.

Further canvassing of the area revealed that numerous bullets had penetrated a wall at a pet store on Third Street and damaged equipment and furniture inside the building, Dial said.

No one was reported injured.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is assisting in the investigation. Anyone with information regarding the shootings is asked to call the Whitefish Police Department at 863-2420 or Crime Stoppers at 752-8477.