Shooting trial postponed

The jury trial has been postponed for a Columbia Falls woman who allegedly pointed a gun at law officers and was shot by a sheriff’s deputy last year.

The trial of Michelle Gentry, 55, on a charge of felony assault on a police officer had been scheduled to start Monday.

Deputy Flathead County Attorney Alison Howard said Monday that prosecutors and Gentry’s defense attorney George Best were “trying to work out a resolution.”

Howard said more answers would be available in a week.

The incident occurred on Oct. 10, 2013, when Gentry threatened to commit suicide at her Eastland Crossing home after an argument with her daughter.

Sheriff’s deputies initially contacted Gentry and confirmed she was armed and suicidal.

Negotiations to draw Gentry out of her house peacefully failed, and the Flathead County Sheriff’s SWAT team was called in.

At 6:30 p.m., Gentry, armed with a handgun, exited her home and advanced on SWAT team members, according to a Kalispell Police Department report on the incident.

Flathead County Sheriff’s Deputy Caleb Pleasants said he opened fire when Gentry pointed the handgun at him.

He fired 15 shots from his AR-15, two of which hit Gentry. The initial volley of shots hit the hood of the armored SWAT vehicle.

According to the Kalispell Police report, “It is clear in the final minutes of recorded negotiations that Gentry was aware of law enforcement’s presence outside of her residence. She chose to unexpectedly exit and aggressively confronts the SWAT team with a gun while screaming, ‘Do it, do it, do it, do it [expletive] now,’ which appears to be a demand for them to shoot her.”

The report concludes that Pleasants “used reasonable and necessary force.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.