Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

MISSOULA - Missoula police officials say they made repeated attempts to contact the man accused of abusing a kitten before he took his own life after a standoff with law enforcement.

The incident happened Thursday afternoon, days after the community expressed outrage over the death of a kitten named Mercy.

Missoula Police Sergeant Travis Welsh says when officers decided to go into the house to serve the warrant they heard one shot fired. The officers then backed out of the home and called for backup because they didn't know if the shot was directed at them.

"Other officers responded. Tactical officers, negotiators, perimeters were set and an entry was made into the residence where the male subject was found and he is deceased at this time" Welsh explained.

Police say it looks like the man took his own life and that it also appears the man lived by himself and no one else was in the house during the incident.

"We were immediately concerned for the residences in the area and pedestrians and obviously vehicle traffic and it was necessary to shut down streets and put security around the area" Welsh said.

The name of the suspect is not being released at this time and the Missoula County Sheriff's Department is conducting a coroner's investigation into the man's death.

Our policy at KPAX is not to name the suspect until charges are filed. So, until the coroner officially releases the man's name to us, we will continue not to name him.

Click here to watch the news report video.

Click here to watch RAW video from the scene of the standoff.

Click here to watch RAW video from the Missoula PD press conference.