3 Shot To Death, 1 Wounded In Early Morning Incident At Montana Casino

A gunman shot and killed three people and wounded a fourth in an early morning incident Tuesday at a Montana casino before he was shot to death by police at a nearby elementary school, police said.

The shooting at the Emerald City Casino at Great Falls occurred around 2 a.m. Great Falls Police received reports of an active shooter at the casino, but the suspect already had fled the scene by the time officers arrived.

Four people were found shot on the casino floor, three of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. The fourth was rushed to Benefis Health System as police locked down the immediate area.

Police began a manhunt for the alleged shooter, who was tracked to Lincoln Elementary School. While details haven’t been released, officers got into a confrontation with the suspect that ended in his death.

“The response from the Great Falls Police Department was almost immediate,” Great Falls Public Schools Superintendent Tom Moore told the Great Falls Tribune. He also emphasized the confrontation didn’t involve any of the school’s students or staff.

In the wake of the shooting, Great Falls Public Schools announced Lincoln Elementary would be closed Tuesday to would allow police to investigate.

The school district announced it would send a team of mental health professionals to Paris Gibson Education Center to aid anyone affected by the shooting. The team was to shift to Lincoln Elementary on Wednesday to continue providing counseling.