Man arrested after Evergreen shootout brought up on felony charges

The man arrested after a shootout with police officers in Evergreen on Feb. 14 is now facing multiple felonies in Flathead County District Court.

Gary Gene Christianson, 57, is expected to be arraigned March 6 before Judge Heidi Ulbricht on one count each of assault with a weapon and criminal endangerment and three counts of assault on a peace officer. He remains in the county jail with bail set at $1 million. 

Authorities confronted Christianson on the porch of a Swan Mountain Village Road home after neighbors described him waving a gun around while yelling and screaming, according to court documents. Those same neighbors also accused Christianson of aiming the firearm at them and at passing vehicles.  

Flathead County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived about 9:42 p.m. and watched as Christianson walked out onto the porch of the home yelling and cursing, court documents said. Deputies hit their emergency lights and told Christianson over a public address system to surrender with his hands up, but to no avail.  

Christianson opened the back door to the home about 10:30 p.m. only to come across a trio of Kalispell Police officers who had taken up posts in the rear of the building to cut off any escape attempts, court documents said. Ordered to again surrender, Christianson ducked briefly inside and then reemerged with a pistol in his right hand, court documents alleged.  

Christianson allegedly began shooting at the officers, who returned fire. No one was hit, but several rounds struck nearby buildings, court documents said.  

Christianson fled to an attached garage following the exchange of gunfire, according to a press release issued over the weekend by the Sheriff's Office. Authorities, who by then included members of the regional SWAT team, unsuccessfully used gas to end the standoff and later breached the garage, officials said. A K-9 unit ultimately subdued Christianson.  

A second person inside the home during the standoff told authorities that the garage also contained a safe with multiple firearms, according to court documents. 

Video turned over to investigators by the neighbors allegedly captured an apparently intoxicated Christianson waving a handgun around on the porch of the home earlier in the evening. One of the neighbors can be heard telling Christianson to stop. The footage allegedly shows Christianson then aiming the gun at the neighbor and mimicking the effects of recoil while saying, "boom, boom, boom." 

"This is Montana, and I have a gun. Get the [expletive] out of here you piece of [expletive]," Christianson allegedly can be heard saying on the recording.  

Assault with a weapon is punishable by up to 20 years in the Montana State Prison while assault with a peace officer is punishable by between two and 10 years behind bars. Criminal endangerment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. All of the charges are punishable with a fine of up to $50,000. 

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