Missoula Man Destroys Conoco’s Flowers, Threatens Owner With a Knife

On Saturday, a Missoula Police Department Officer responded to 711 East Broadway, commonly known as Conoco, for a report of an assault involving a weapon. The officer spoke to the complainant who stated he was working and observed two individuals tearing up the landscaping outside of his business. Police Public Information Officer Lydia Arnold explains.

“Two gentlemen were caught destroying some landscaping on the business owner’s property,” Arnold said. “The victim requested the male’s quit tearing up his landscaping and destroying his sunflowers. When the victim made the request, a male, 37-year-old Brian Decker, pulled a knife and threatened the victim with the knife. The victim was sitting inside their vehicle and Decker attempted to enter the vehicle with the knife still out, while making threatening statements on how he was going to use the knife towards the victim. Decker was taken into custody and is being held at the Missoula County Detention Center.”

The victim said he was afraid Decker would harm him. The victim described the knife as a hunting knife with approximately a four inch blade.

A short time later, the officer located the two suspects relatively nearby the Conoco. The officer made contact with the males and Decker said he had a knife on his right side. The other male had a sunflower in his possession, which was among the flowers in the landscaping at the Conoco.

Decker was charged with one count of felony assault with a weapon.