Friends mourn homeless man killed in Kalispell attack

Several dozen of Kalispell’s homeless residents gathered at the Flathead Warming Center on Monday to remember Scott E. Bryan, a homeless man who authorities say was murdered early Sunday morning.

Kaleb Elijah Fleck, 19, of Kalispell and Wiley James Meeker, 18, of Somers are being held at the Flathead County Detention Center on pending murder charges in connection with his death.

Kalispell Police found Bryan with “significant injuries” in the parking lot of the Conoco Gas Station on the corner of Appleway Drive and Meridian Road at 2:21 a.m., June 25. He was taken to Logan Health Medical Center, where he later died.

A video posted on social media allegedly made by the attackers shows Fleck sitting in a car repeating, "step up [expletive]," while the mobile phone camera pans to a man lying in a pool of blood in a darkened parking lot. Another voice is heard saying, "You [expletive]ed that guy up, dude."

According to jailhouse records, both Fleck and Meeker were scheduled to appear in court on Monday, though charges had not been filed in district court by the close of business. Their bail is not yet listed.

Bryan’s friends remembered a soft spoken man who mostly stayed to himself.

Bryan, 60, was from Eureka and had most recently been a tenant at the former Vacationer Motel in Kalispell, according to intake paperwork from the shelter. On the form, Bryan listed himself as American Indian, and reported that he suffered from epilepsy and cancer. He wrote that he had been homeless since February 2022.

Lawrence Hoerger met Bryan at the shelter last winter and they quickly struck up a friendship. Hoerger described Bryan as a small, frail man who had been recovering from a head injury sustained from an earlier attack.

Hoerger was expecting to camp with Bryan the night that he was killed, and said he had set up a sleeping bag and pillow for his friend before going to sleep.

“He was on his way,” Hoerger said, “but he never showed up that night.”

Hoerger said that Bryan had been doing his best to get off the streets, and had gone to a follow up appointment at nonprofit Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana the previous day. Bryan was on a waiting list for housing assistance, Hoerger said.

Shelter director Tonya Horn addressed the gathering in the shelter’s dining area, calling Bryan’s killing a “great tragedy.”

“We’re a family,” she said, holding back tears. “We are going through all the emotions and every emotion is right.”

Also offering support were social workers and volunteers from Western Montana Mental Health Center, Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana, New Now Village and Braveheart Ministry.

Shelter Operations Director Audrey Tri said she understood the anger in the room, and told the group to stick together for safety.

“I know you’re angry,” she said. “If you’re angry, talk to us. Stay together, don’t be alone at night. Focus on keeping each other safe.”

Those in attendance expressed feelings of sadness, abandonment and anger following the alleged murder, saying that they had seen it coming in the wake of months of reported harassment and violence against Kalispell’s homeless residents by a group of teenagers.

Anger was directed at city leaders for what those in attendance perceived as allowing the harassment and attacks against homeless people to continue unchecked.

Last month, a group of teens allegedly attacked a homeless man near Woodland Park, reportedly breaking his collarbone and leaving him hospitalized. Police previously confirmed an investigation, but did not say if anyone had been arrested in connection with the alleged attack.

Authorities said they are looking into potential links between the alleged attacks, but that the investigation is still underway.

“We are definitely looking at all possible angles and seeing if this is connected to anything else,” said Capt. Jordan Venezio.

Advocates said Monday that recent statements from elected officials have led to an increase in violence against homeless residents. In January, the Flathead County commissioners published a letter describing homeless residents as part of an organized network coming from elsewhere. They criticized social service providers and called on residents to stop aiding relief efforts.

“We’ve never had violent acts like this toward our homeless community until recently,” said Chris Krager, director of homeless shelter Samaritan House, in a statement. “The increased rhetoric by some community leaders and the barrage of aggressive social media comments dehumanize people who live here. It doesn’t take long for verbal assaults to turn physical.”

After previous alleged attacks, shelter goers said they had feared the violence would escalate.

“They’ve gotten away with it so far, they’re taking it to the next level,” said Bryan Bergeson in May. “They might not be done if nothing happens to them.”

Hoerger said he recognized Fleck and Meeker from their mugshots as people who had previously harassed him on the city’s multi-use Parkline Trail.

Jarod McFarland said he had been with Bryan in Depot Park Saturday night, and called him “the nicest guy you’d ever meet.”

McFarland said he and his family, including his wife and three children, live on Kalispell's streets. He alleged Meeker was part of a group that attempted to goad him into an alley about a week ago.

McFarland said he’d seen Meeker and Fleck among a group of teens that allegedly meet at a local supermarket parking lot nightly to coordinate attacks on homeless people around the city.

McFarland alleged the teens had stolen his son’s puppy, a two-month old Siberian Husky, a month ago, and that he had alerted police.

He said he recently learned that the dog’s body had been found in Woodland Park.

“If KPD and the sheriff's department did their job it could have been prevented,” McFarland said.

Tony Hopper said he had sent photos and videos showing alleged assaults on homeless people to the police a week ago, as well as photos of cars and license plates.

Hoerger alleged several other teens harassed him on Sunday, shortly after Bryan’s death.

“‘We killed one of you fools, you’re next,’” he recalled them allegedly yelling from a moving pickup truck.

Social workers urged the community to condemn the attack and prevent further bloodshed.

“Please talk to your children and let them know how deep they can get into trouble,” said Tri. “It needs to stop. It’s not fun and games any more, it’s not cool. His life mattered.”

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.

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