Pistol Pulled During Missoula Argument Over Dropped Items

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On June 16, 2026, John Doe reported to the Missoula Police Department that he was carrying items into his apartment from his vehicle when he dropped several items in the street. Doe observed 27-year-old Ethan Elliott driving towards his property. He yelled at him to stop so that he would not damage his items lying in the roadway. He said that he yelled loudly at Elliott to get him to stop.  

Elliott stopped his truck near Doe’s items and was on top of some of them. Doe told Elliott that he ran over his property. Elliott stated, “You don’t f***ing talk to me that way, you got a f***ing problem?” Doe said he responded by stating, “Do we, bro?”  

According to court documents, Elliott pulled a semi-automatic pistol and held it so Doe could see the weapon. He then charged the weapon by rackin the slide. Doe stated the only reason for the male to pull the gun was to intimidate him or to use it. 

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Missoula officers ran Elliott’s license plate. They identified his apartment and called out to him to exit. He did not do so. Officers later fired a non-lethal 40 mm impact round at Elliott’s front door to coerce him to exit. Elliott exited and told officers that he only exhibited his gun to Doe because he was afraid that Doe was going to harm him. He stated that he exhibited the gun in self-defense because Doe has a bald head, tattoos, and he had heard that Doe has a criminal record. Doe also mentioned that he had never met Elliott before. 

Officers obtained a search warrant. They seized a Glock 9mm semiautomatic pistol from Elliott’s nightstand. The firearm had a 15-round loaded magazine inserted. Officers observed a second handgun and a .50 caliber rifle inside Elliott’s apartment, but did not seize those weapons.  

Missoula officers concluded that Elliott did not have reasonable cause to exhibit a firearm and threaten its use by racking the slide under the totality of the circumstances, given the fact that he was inside his own vehicle, Doe was not armed, and Doe did not attempt to gain entry into Elliott’s vehicle and assault him. 

READ MORE: Missoula News - Crime Reports

Elliott was arrested and transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. He is currently being charged with felony attempted assault with weapon – reasonable apprehension of serious bodily injury. 

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