One dead, another injured in violent confrontation
<p>Police cruisers encircled a house at 726 N. Sixth Ave., where a fatal confrontation took place Wednesday evening. (Photo by CAMERON RASMUSSON)</p>
SANDPOINT — One man was killed and another was injured during a violent confrontation early Wednesday night, Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon said.
The identities of the two men, believed to be in their 30s, were not immediately released.
Sandpoint Police were summoned to a home at 726 N. Sixth Avenue at around 6 p.m. after receiving a report of a shooting.
“Two males were involved in an altercation at the residence,” said Coon.
Coon said one of the men was shot in the left bicep and is expected to be released from the hospital after being treated. It was not immediately clear how the deceased subject was killed, Coon said.
One firearm was recovered at the scene and Sandpoint Police were in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the residence to gather additional evidence. Interviews of witnesses and potential witnesses were also being conducted.
Nobody was detained and no arrests were made as of late Wednesday night, Coon said.
“Everybody involved is being cooperative,” said Coon.
It was also unclear late Wednesday if criminal charges are expected or exactly how the confrontation unfolded.
“The detectives are still trying to piece everything together,” said Coon.
Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall said the details of the incident were not clear enough for him to comment on the matter late Wednesday.
Chatter on social media sites such as Facebook speculated the confrontation occurred at Super 1 Foods, although Coon said those reports are inaccurate. The confrontation occurred at a residence that is directly across Larch from the vehicle entrance to the grocery store.
The last killing in Sandpoint occurred in 2005, when two men allegedly ambushed Christopher Elliott West at a towing company garage on Great Northern Road. West died of a shotgun wound.
Kenneth Eugene Thurlow and Christopher Alan Lewers were ultimately convicted of first-degree murder in connection with West’s shooting death. Lewers, 25, is serving a sentence of 25 years to life. Thurlow, 48, was sentenced to life without parole.