Homicide suspect shot and killed at Woods Bay

A man who allegedly fired shots at local law enforcement officers in the Woods Bay area was killed Tuesday afternoon following a high-speed chase in connection with the alleged homicide of a woman at a residence west of Kalispell, according to Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino.

Little information was immediately available, but a chase ensued before it ended on Montana 35 in the Woods Bay area near mile marker 26. Heino told the Inter Lake the chase began after deputies located the homicide suspect’s vehicle.

Officers from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office used spike strips to disable the suspect’s vehicle. The man then allegedly exchanged gunfire with law enforcement officers from Montana Highway Patrol and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and was killed at the scene.

Heino said investigators from the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation were en route to the scene Tuesday evening. The sheriff also said his department had contact with the man in the past.

“We were inches from reporting an officer had been killed,” Heino said. “Our vehicles had bullet holes in them, but thankfully none of our guys were hurt.”

Flathead County investigators were at Cobbler Village Terrace west of Kalispell investigating the scene where the woman was killed.

Montana 35 was closed for an extended period of time because of the incident. Traffic was rerouted to Montana 209 in Bigfork.

Tuesday’s deadly shootout was the second time in just over two weeks Flathead County deputies have been fired upon by suspects, Heino noted in a statement Tuesday evening.

On May 24, Kila resident Anthony D. Grove was shot and killed by Flathead County law enforcement officers after Grove reportedly shot at officers during a standoff. That incident is under investigation by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, and three law enforcement officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave.

“Our deputies go out every day and put their life on the line for our community,” Heino’s statement continued. “We are honored to do it and we will continue to do so every day. We will not falter. We will not fail our community. We will stay the course.”

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.