Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We're working to fix a technical issue causing problems with our broadcasts. We'll have it resolved as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Missoula High School Student Arrested After Shots Fired, Police Chase

Missoula's Big Sky High School.
Big Sky High School
Missoula's Big Sky High School.

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A high school student who was fleeing a police officer crashed a car Friday during a chase involving gunfire, although it was not clear who fired the shots, authorities said. Nobody was injured in the chase or crash, Missoula police said.

Staff members at Missoula's Big Sky High School and a school resource officer were conducting an investigation involving several students. When one student was contacted he ran from the school, Detective Sgt. Travis Welsh told the Missoulian newspaper .

The fleeing student got into a car and was pursued by the resource officer, Welsh said.

Shots were fired, but Welsh said he did not provide details on the number of shots fired or by whom.

The chase ended when the student's car crashed into the parking lot of a nearby auto dealership.

Officials have not released the student's name or the reason for the investigation.

Welsh did not return a call to The Associated Press for comment. He told the Missoulian that the investigation has been turned over to the Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation.

Justice department spokesman Eric Sell did not immediately return a call for comment.

Sophomore Isis Ball, 16, told the Missoulian there was an announcement between classes for all available teachers to deal with an issue with a student in the central office. She said "nobody thought much of it," until later when a teacher read a Missoulian article aloud to inform the students what was going on.

The people in the classroom lowered the blinds and began lockdown procedures, though there had been no formal call for a lockdown, Ball said.

"I'm upset that there wasn't a lockdown, if there were shots fired," Ball said.  "I feel like since it involved student property such as our vehicles, we should have been notified about what was going on and kept up to date."

Big Sky is the same high school where a restraining order was issued on Feb. 22 against a student who reportedly threatened to shoot other studentsand slapped one student in the face. The same day, graffiti appeared warning students not to be at the school, the Missoulian reported.

It was not immediately clear whether February's events were connected to Friday's chase.
___
Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com

Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content