Wild West Moment in Big Timber: Gunfire and Fatal Standoff

Montana's Wild West days may be long behind us—gone are the saloons, shootouts, and bandits of the frontier era. But every now and then, something happens that reminds us just how untamed this place can still be. That was the case last week in Big Timber, where a deadly shootout unfolded involving Montana Highway Patrol troopers.

So here's what went down...just outside of Big Timber, two Montana Highway Patrol troopers got tangled up in a serious situation involving a man from Nebraska. It turns out that this guy had a no-bond warrant out for his arrest, which was tied to some pretty alarming charges. He was wanted for making threats to use explosives or plant bombs, and at some point, he made his way into Montana. That's when things really started to get sideways.

According to the police report, at approximately 2:48 pm, a trooper had discovered the suspect's vehicle, and the second trooper was called in for backup. Right after that, one of the troopers tried to make a traffic stop, which turned into the suspect speeding off in his car and escalating the situation.

In an effort to stop the high-speed chase, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper attempted a classic PIT maneuver. This is a move you've probably seen in action-packed cop shows. Unfortunately, it didn't do the trick. The suspect kept going, and that's when things got even more western.

Gunshots rang out from the suspect's vehicle, and troopers quickly returned fire. It all happened fast; within just about three minutes, the shootout came to an end, and authorities confirmed the suspect was down.

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"Without our troopers' quick thinking and bravery this incident could have been much worse. I'm confident that DCI will conduct a thorough investigation and I'm grateful for their assistance. Our partners at the Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office have also been incredibly helpful on scene," said MHP Colonel Kurt Sager.