Teen suspect in shooting apprehended after Pablo crash

A suspect in a shooting last week was apprehended over the weekend following a pursuit.

Ronan Police were searching for a 16-year-old male in connection with a shooting on Thursday, Nov. 15, in the 300 block of 12th Ave. NW.

In a press release from the Ronan Police Department on Sunday, a Flathead Tribal Police Officer saw the suspect in a vehicle with four occupants in the Pablo area and attempted to conduct a traffic stop.

The vehicle failed to yield and a pursuit ensued.

During the pursuit, a 9-mm handgun was thrown from the vehicle, and the occupants inside the vehicle switched spots.

The shooting suspect, the juvenile, was then in the driver’s seat.

The pursuit continued until the vehicle crashed and overturned on Duck Road, north of Charlo.

Occupants of the vehicle were ejected, and the vehicle caught on fire.

THE JUVENILE suspect was able to flee on foot. Ronan Police K-9 Sandor found the suspect, who was taken into custody and transported to “a secure facility in Missoula” by RPD.

All four occupants involved were taken to hospitals in Ronan, Polson and Missoula to be treated for their injuries, the press release states.

As of presstime Monday, the conditions and identities of the occupants were unknown.

RPD was made aware of a shooting victim last week after the 25-year-old woman sought treatment for a gunshot wound at St. Luke Community Healthcare.

The woman was reported to be in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries Friday, Nov. 16, RPD stated.

The victim’s identification wasn’t released by presstime Monday.

More information on possible charges was not available.

Assisting RPD were CSKT Tribal Law and Order, Lake County Attorney’s Office, Lake County Youth Court, Lake County Dispatch, Montana Highway Patrol, St. Ignatius Police Department, and Lake County Sheriff’s Office.