Missoula Crime Report: Spinning Cookies Leads to Shots Fired

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The Missoula County Attorney’s Office filed 14 new felony complaints this week, which is two less than last week and right around the weekly average. According to County Attorney Matt Jennings, there were three violent crimes against persons.

“We had four endangerment crimes and they are almost always related to drinking and driving, though there was one firearm-related incident within there,” Jennings said. “We had three property crimes, three drug crimes, and one administrative crime which was actually a perjury charge related to a trial that we recently had.”

Jennings also mentioned that there were two firearm-related incidents this week.

“We had one incident over on Orange and 1st Street of an individual with an AR weapon in the middle of the intersection with a special type of ammunition that is capable of piercing metal,” Jennings said. “Then we had another incident at a movie theater where some young people were spinning cookies in the parking lot on icy roads, which probably isn't a great idea though it was one of my favorite pastimes when I was in high school, but a guy didn't like that and started firing rounds into the air.”

Jennings said our Second Amendment Rights are obviously important in Montana.

“People also have a right to defend themselves when they are being threatened with force being used against them,” Jennings said. “But that right does not extend to pulling guns on people when they're annoyed, or don't like somebody, or don't like how they look, or what they're doing. Justifiable use of force really only applies to force being used against somebody. Sometimes people seem to be a little bit confused about that. When they do and they're endangering other people, they sometimes find themselves charged with a felony offense.”

The Missoula County Attorney’s Office provides a weekly crime report every Friday morning at 9:00 on Talk Back. You can listen to Jennings’ full report below: