BILLINGS – A 60-year-old Billings man invited two state parole officers into his home east of downtown Tuesday before shooting multiple rounds at both and engaging in a two-hour standoff with law enforcement, according to court documents filed Friday.
Michael Jeffrey Anderson was charged with two counts of attempted deliberate homicide for shooting at the two Montana Department of Corrections officers, identified Allan Kitterman and Derrek Skinner, Yellowstone County prosecutors stated in charging documents. Both charges include a weapons enhancement.
Anderson made his first appearance in Yellowstone County Justice Court Friday. Kitterman and Skinner, who were not injured, are on paid administrative leave after they fired back, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
According to the documents, Kitterman and Skinner went to the residence at 1611 Second Ave. N. after trying to reach Anderson by phone to inform him he was selected for a random drug test.
After knocking and receiving no response, the two officers walked to the back of residence, where they saw Anderson smoking a cigarette inside. Kitterman told Anderson they needed a urine sample and to conduct a home check, and Anderson told they they could enter, according to documents.
They walked through the front door, saw Anderson sitting in a chair in the living room and asked him for a urine sample as they conducted the home check.
Kitterman saw pellet gun in a room and told Anderson he wasn’t allowed to have it while on probation. Skinner found a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle on a bed with a loaded magazine.
Anderson rummaged in some clothes and told the officers he had something to show them, according to court documents. When Kitterman asked him to show his hands, he said, “I have something to show you.”
That’s when Anderson drew a semi-automatic handgun and allegedly fired at Kitterman. The officer returned fire, as did Skinner, prosecutors stated.
Both continued firing as they retreated out of the house and called for backup. Anderson was hit once in the stomach.
Anderson remained in the home during the two-hour standoff with city, county, state and federal law enforcement officers. It ended after a SWAT team broke down the door.
After treatment, Anderson was arrested and taken to the Yellowstone County Detention Facility.
If Anderson is convicted, he could face up to life in prison, possible fines and an extra ten years for the use of a weapon.
Reporting by Zoe Zandora for MTN News
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