Bail reduced for suspect in Kalispell shooting

Accused of shooting and wounding a man in Kalispell hotel in February, Garrett Drew Murray remains behind bars despite a district court judge lessening his bail last week.

Murray faces two counts of assault with a weapon in Flathead County District Court following the alleged Feb. 7 shooting near U.S. 2. He entered not guilty pleas to the felony charges at his Feb. 23 arraignment.

Kalispell Police officers arrested Murray during a traffic stop on Appleway Drive while investigating the reported shooting, according to court documents. The victim, who suffered a wound to his lower abdomen near his right hip, told authorities he awoke in a shared hotel room to a gun-wielding Murray shouting at him.

Hollering at him to leave, Murray allegedly fired in the direction of the victim’s hip, court documents said.

A witness in the room verified the account and told investigators that Murray threatened him with the firearm as well, according to court documents.

Following his arrest, authorities set Murray’s bail at $150,000. After a March 24 hearing at the behest of Murray’s defense attorney, Sean Hinchey, Judge Danni Coffman lowered bail to $75,000.

Were Murray to post bond, he would need to reside in a Kalispell home, stay clear of firearms or other weapons and submit to drug patch monitoring at his expense, according to court documents.

An omnibus hearing in Murray’s case is scheduled for May 15 with a pretrial conference to follow on July 14.

Assault with a weapon is punishable by up to 20 years in the Montana State Prison and a $50,000 fine.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.