Chainsaw Attack at a Missoula Parking Lot

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - At approximately 4:25 p.m. on April 2, 2024, a Missoula Police Department Officer was dispatched to an assault involving a chainsaw at apartments in the 500 block of West Alder Street. The officer arrived on scene and spoke with the reporting party, John Doe. Doe stated he had been in his apartment parking lot and was going to his vehicle to get his belongings.

Then Doe noticed an intoxicated male who was yelling and screaming. Doe walked over and the male began yelling at him. According to court documents, Doe said the male swung a chainsaw at him and then threw it at him as he was walking away. Doe said he went to grab the chainsaw, but the male threatened him and went to grab it for himself.

Doe said he was able to get the male to walk away and then walked away himself. While Doe was walking away, he called 911. Doe pointed out the electric chainsaw over by the blue dumpster that the male used. Doe also stated the black shirt next to the dumpster was the shirt the suspect male took off.

Doe and the Officer Identified the Suspect

An officer collected the electric chainsaw and shirt. Doe said he had seen the male in the area before and thought his first name might be Toby. Doe was able to find a photograph of the male, identified on Facebook as “Toby Gobert”. The officer looked at the photograph and recognized the male as 24-year-old Toby Gobert as well.

At approximately 10:19 PM, dispatch advised that Gobert had shown back up at Doe’s residence. Dispatch further stated that Doe was following Gobert. Doe stated that Gobert was wearing cowboy boots and was in his underwear. Doe refused to listen to dispatch and began following Gobert, giving updated locations of the direction Gobert was fleeing.

Gobert Attempts to Hide Under a Canoe

Dispatch advised that they had received another call from a caller who stated that a male had entered their backyard and was hiding under a canoe. An officer believed that the male was Gobert. Once other officers arrived on scene and a perimeter was set up, the officer deployed K9 Zip.

The officer activated his patrol flashlight and observed what appeared to be a person's knee sticking out from underneath the canoe. The officer yelled out "Sir, make yourself known. I will send my dog. He will bite you." After the last command was given, Gobert stood up and was taken into custody without further incident.

Gobert is currently being charged with felony assault with a weapon and criminal trespass to property.

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.