Missoula Crime Report: Most Violent Week of 2026

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The Missoula County Attorney’s Office filed 21 new felony complaints this week, which is nine more than last week and much higher than the weekly average. According to County Attorney Matt Jennings, this was the most violent week we have had in Missoula so far this year. 

“We had nine pretty violent offenses,” Jennings said. “Six of those were family violence, partner, or family member assaults, or gun violence against partners. We had three non-family violence incidents, and we had a lot of drug cases this week. A couple of years ago, we were really in a fentanyl epidemic in our community. We were getting a lot of overdoses. We aren't seeing as much fentanyl come through Missoula right now, or at least through the cases that we're seeing in my office, but we are seeing another resurgence in methamphetamine.” 

Jennings said meth is a drug that leads to a lot of different offenses. 

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“In a lot of the interactions that law enforcement have with people that commit another crime, whether it's violent or property crime or something else, they're either under the influence of meth or they have it on their person,” Jennings said. “We've got a lot more evidence now about the impacts methamphetamine has on people's brains, and it just changes them completely.” 

20 years ago, Jennings said the state of Montana did a really good job at convincing young people to never try meth, not even once.  

“That needs to be the message to everybody in this community,” Jennings said. “Too many people think they're experimenting with something, and their life gets completely off track and sometimes can't get back on.” 

Jennings also mentioned that a 16-year-old girl was shot and killed last weekend by a 15-year-old in a negligent homicide case. 

“Frankly, we’ve just been reeling from the trauma of that all week and acknowledging the loss to her family,” Jennings said. “Our hearts are just broken for them and everybody who knew her. I also wanted to thank law enforcement for their incredible efforts and the things that they have to go through, first responders as well. They immediately showed up on the scene and did everything that they possibly could. While she couldn't be saved, I just so admire and respect the work that all those folks do when they show up on the scene.” 

Jennings said they will keep trying to figure out exactly what the contributing factors were that led up to that moment. 

“Young people with alcohol, drugs, and guns lead to trauma,” Jennings said. “It's something that we need to continue to address in our community and our society.” 

The Missoula County Attorney’s Office provides a weekly crime report every Friday morning at 9:00 on Talk Back.