Man shot, injured; tried to break into police officer's home

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — An intruder suffered a gunshot wound after trying to break into the home of an off-duty Great Falls Police officer, the police department said.

The incident just before 4:30 a.m. Monday "evolved to the point the officer fired a gun and the male was shot," the Great Falls Police Department said in a statement Tuesday evening.

The alleged intruder's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, but he was taken to the hospital, the department said. He was not acquainted with the officer, police said.

The department did not release the names of the officer who was involved or the man who was shot.

The state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. The DCI report will be turned over to the Cascade County Attorney's Office to determine if charges should be filed.

The officer was placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy.