Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton has released the details of a gunshot incident that occurred on Monday, that resulted in a suicide.

A 29 year-old man was determined to have suffered brain death due to a gunshot wound.  Physicians at St. Patrick's Hospital pronounced the death Monday afternoon.  Holton said the investigation has shown that the man died as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound which occurred Monday morning in Missoula.  The incident was witnessed by civilians and Missoula County Sheriff's deputies.

“The suicide victim and other occupants of a vehicle were initially contacted by law enforcement in response to an earlier report of gunshots being investigated by the Missoula Police Department,” Holton said.  “When Sheriff's deputies attempted to control the scene, the subjects initially refused to follow instructions or the commands of law enforcement.  The situation quickly escalated when the individual entered a vehicle and produced a handgun, which he used to commit suicide before anyone could intervene.”

Sheriff Holton told KGVO News that upon reviewing all of the facts of the incident, including evidence of illegal drug use by the subjects, Missoula County Deputies showed, "incredible professionalism and their actions and tactics were entirely appropriate given the chaotic situation they found themselves in".

Because both Missoula law enforcement agencies were on the scene at the time of the shooting, the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Department was called in to investigate.

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