HELENA — Friends and family of a man killed in an officer-involved shooting held a peaceful rally in Helena.
Investigators have not officially released the identity of the man shot.
However, according to a longtime friend, Andrea Cross Guns, Paul Rolfes was fatally shot by law enforcement officers at The Jesters Bar on Saturday, November 2nd.
Police say while they were speaking with Rolfes, he brandished a knife at the officers.
Officers used non-lethal force first, attempting to subdue Rolfes with a taser.
But after being tased, police say he stabbed one of the officers, at which point officers shot Rolfes.
Today, a rally started on the Montana State Capitol Building lawn. It continued to the Law and Justice Center, Governor Greg Gianforte's home, and The Jesters Bar, where friends and family of Rolfes dropped off memorial items, including flowers and pictures.
Cross Guns says the gathering was meant to bring attention to how mental health crises are handled and to share the need for more mental health resources in Montana.
"I just don't see a reason for eight gunshots to be fired at him. I'm certainly not trying to downplay that an officer was injured, and we're very glad he's okay, but Paul is not okay. Paul is dead, and that's a forever sentence," said Cross Guns.
It is very important to remember that this is an ongoing investigation.
We contacted Helena Police Department and the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office, but both said they could not speak due to the investigation.
The facts of the incident will be released during the coroner's inquest, which has not been scheduled.
MTN News will continue to follow this story and bring you the latest updates when they become available.
You can find past reporting on this story here.
