GREAT FALLS — A man was shot and taken to a hospital after reportedly trying to break into a Great Falls home on Monday, December 27, 2021.
The Great Falls Police Department said in a news release that at about 4:24 a.m., a man tried to unlawfully enter the home of an off-duty Great Falls police officer; the man was not known by the officer.
The incident "evolved to the point the officer fired a gun and the man was shot," according to the GFPD.
The man was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton has asked the Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (MTDOJ-DCI) to lead the investigation into the incident. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Cascade County Attorney’s Office for review.
Per GFPD policy, the officer has been placed on administrative leave.
The names of the officer and the suspect have not been released at this point.
The GFPD said: "Though this incident is isolated, it is complex and stressful for everyone involved. We appreciate your support and hope you will keep this officer and their family in your thoughts in the coming days, as we do the same for the injured male and his family."
No other details have been released at this point; we will update you if we get more information.
