Armed robbery, kidnapping, shooting, carjacking, evading duo arrested over weekend

Two men carjack, kidnap family of five in Missoula, head north.

Anyone who spots the pair is asked to call emergency dispatch immediately, and not to confront the men.

A violent armed robbery that transformed into a carjacking, multiple kidnapping, police-involved shooting, high- and low-speed chase through downtown Missoula and Highway 93 toward the north unfolded in the early hours of May 27.

Two men later identified as Thomas Earl Dempsey, 36, and Nick West, 38, allegedly robbed a Missoula casino at about 4:30 a.m., then car jacked a Washington State family driving through the state.

The family was traveling with two children, two parents and a grand parent at the time of the carjacking, according to Missoula police officials.

Missoula police chased the two men who were driving a dark gray Chevy SUV and were reported to have shot at pursuing police. During the course of the chase, police officials said they negotiated the release of the two children and the grandmother at two separate Missoula locations, the official said.

Police then pulled back from the SUV and lost it. Later in the morning, the SUV was located near the Gray Wolf Casino as it was traveling north on Highway 93. The two kidnappers abandoned the vehicle and two remaining victims, the official said.

Law enforcement officials from Missoula and Lake counties searched the area for the two men who were wearing dark clothing and carrying a tan pillowcase with three guns inside, the official said.

Arlee School District was not in session during the incident.

Dempsey was captured Friday after a tipster saw him leaving a Missoula motel.

West was arrested in Missoula Saturday.

Both will appear in a Missoula court Tuesday.

Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott issued a news release after the arrests.

“We know it was an unsettling time for the community, and as law enforcement officers we consider this one version of a happy ending. Most importantly, no one was hurt and secondly, these two suspects are now behind bars. We have to applaud the great work of our detectives who worked tirelessly throughout the night to get this accomplished. I could not be more proud of our officers and our law enforcement friends, who all came to the aid of this family during a very scary time,” McDermott said.