Update – Glasgow Shooting
January 20, 2009
Confirmed information about the Glasgow shooting incident is slow to emerge. There are no shortage of rumors about the details of the incident in the Glasgow area. I’m getting many reports from there.
The media are unwilling to use information not from “official” (law enforcement) sources. Meanwhile, the “official sources” are being very closed-mouthed.
In fact, Glasgow-area law enforcement have actually accused me to the Great Falls Tribune of inappropriately “leaking” information about the incident. I haven’t missed that they didn’t accuse me of “speculating,” but of “leaking,” as if I had certain knowledge but exist under some official restraint to not share that knowledge. You will remember that I characterized the initial information I distributed as “Unconfirmed but probable.”
Our sympathies go out to the survivors of the incident.
I remain concerned that what role citizen Scott Billingsley played in stopping the killer will be minimized or eliminated in media coverage relying on only “official sources.” I do know that several media outlets are trying hard to confirm Scott’s role. Still, I do not yet have sufficient confirmed information to separate rumors from facts. I did get an email from somebody who says he talked with Scott since the incident, and that the information in my original release was essentially correct. I’ll stick by that until I have confidence in new information.
There is one curious aspect to the investigation ongoing in Glasgow. I hear that there are scores of federal officers in Glasgow working the investigation. Why federal officers? My best guess is (if the reports are correct) it’s because Glasgow is adjacent to the Fort. Peck Indian Reservation, and federal law enforcement agencies have primary authority on reservations (although this incident happened off the reservation, in Glasgow proper). I suppose it might also have something to do with jurisdiction over property associated with the used-to-be Glasgow air base. Maybe the feds were just having a slow day and decided to rally some federal personnel to Glasgow for exercise. It seems confirmed that local law enforcement called in investigators from the Montana Department of Justice to help sort things out. But federal agencies and personnel? Who knows?
Stay tuned …
Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com
[...] the recent killing in Glasgow, claiming that the liberal, elite media of Eastern Montana is covering up just how wonderful guns [...]
Exactly what is your problem with federal officers helping out? Don’t you think after an incident like that GPD could use some help? Do you live in the United States of America of the Disassociated Republic of Montana?
Give me a break on the paranoia at a time like this.
I used to live in Glasgow and the reason there may be federal officers working it is there is a headquarters there in Glasgow. Have been friends with several of the agents wives. They also have more resources than the local law enforcement does.