Armed suspect in Happy's Inn manhunt found dead
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office called off a manhunt near Happy’s Inn on Wednesday evening after the reportedly armed and suicidal man was found dead.
According to The Western News, no official word was given regarding the cause of death, only that the subject’s body was found.
On Wednesday morning the Sheriff’s Office issued a “code red alert.” In a post on its Facebook page, the Sheriff’s Office warned people in the Happy’s Inn area in eastern Lincoln County to “stay in your homes and lock your doors.”
“Keep vehicle traffic at a minimum. Please stay away from the area.”
According to The Western News, law enforcement officers were looking for the individual described as a local man in his 60s. Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies were assisted in the search by U.S. Border Patrol with both a helicopter and a K9 unit. Two Bear Air also assisted in the search with a Forward looking Infrared Radiometer system.
Lincoln County EMA Director Brent Teske told The Western News the subject was driving a 6x6 military-style truck. The truck reportedly hit and damaged two power poles, an ice machine and another vehicle in Happy’s Inn. Damage to a private residence at Happy’s Inn was described as appearing as if it had been hit by a tornado.
Teske also said that a bullet hole was discovered in a propane tank where the propane escaped. A second bullet may have been fired at the tank but not penetrated.
A Hazmat team from Flathead County and fire departments on the scene from Fisher River Valley Rescue and Libby Volunteer hosed down the tank in order to keep it from freezing up as the gas escaped, permitting the propane to dissipate.
Lincoln County Under Sheriff Brian Griffeth told The Western News that personnel on the ground twice found “high caliber” rifle rounds left in the road with something written in the dirt nearby.
The specific caliber was not noted.
Griffeth declined to say what the messages were in the dirt, but said the department was concerned the intent had been to lure deputies from their vehicles to investigate.
The search involved 31 personnel from different agencies.