Billings PD Detail Events Leading To Weekend Standoff on 6th Ave
This morning, the Billings Police Department released information detailing the events that occurred, leading to the officer-involved shooting and standoff on 6th Avenue North in Billings on Saturday, March 25th.
According to the release, Billings PD responded to a call of a disturbance at a business on the 4600 block of Western Sky Drive. (Note: We are unable to locate "Western Sky Drive" on Google Maps, in order to provide more detail. In researching this, it seems BPD may have made a mistake, and meant Western Sky Storage at the 4600 Block of Crescent Drive, which is shown below. The maps are outdated, showing a field where the newly constructed Western Sky Storage is located.) (Updated 3/27/23 9:03 AM: Administrative Lieutenant Matt Lennick called today, and informed me that our observation was indeed accurate. Officers were sent to Western Sky Drive, however, that does not exist. Officers figured out that the altercation was happening at Western Sky Storage.)
Officers were advised the suspect was involved in the disturbance, brandished a firearm shooting a round into the air, and stole a vehicle to flee the scene.
That stolen vehicle was located by officers on King Avenue West. In attempting to stop the vehicle, the suspect was able to escape officers, who then pursued the suspect through downtown Billings and into the Billings Heights. During this pursuit, the suspect struck two vehicles near the intersection of Main and Lake Elmo, severely damaging the stolen vehicle.
After those collisions, the suspect continued onto 6th Avenue North, where the vehicle ceased to operate... coming to a stop around the 900 block of 6th Avenue North.
At this time, the suspect remained in the stolen vehicle and refused to comply with officer demands or work with negotiation efforts to exit the vehicle peacefully. Officers confirmed the suspect was still armed, at which point BPD SWAT, Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office SWAT, and the Billings PD negotiations team were brought in.
Over two hours, officers worked to negotiate with the suspect, however, they refused to cooperate. SWAT officers deployed gas into the vehicle after failed negotiations, forcing the suspect to exit the stolen vehicle.
When the suspect exited the vehicle, they pointed their firearm at the officers. YCSO SWAT fired at the suspect, striking them. Medical care was administered by SWAT officers on site, as well as AMR, before being transported to one of our local hospitals.
Later in the day, the suspect was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
At this time, the suspect is identified as a 35-year-old female, who was local to Billings.
As more details are released, this article will be updated.
(Source: BPD Press Release from Administrative Lieutenant Matt Lennick)