Charge pending in Bloom Lake shooting

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man was arrested for shooting another man during an altercation at Bloom Lake on Sunday afternoon.

Michael Jesse Chisholm is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Magistrate Court Judge Lori Meulenberg found probable cause for the felony offense on Monday, said Chief Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Shane Greenbank.

Chisholm, 66, is being held the county jail with bail set at $50,000. He is expected to make an initial court appearance today.

Law enforcement and EMS personnel were summoned to the 2400 block of Bloom Lake Road shortly before 4:45 p.m. after dispatchers received a report of gunshot wound.

A Life Flight Network helicopter was ultimately summoned to the scene to evacuate the alleged victim, according to a Bonner EMS run log.

“It appears he’s going to recover,” sheriff’s Det. Phil Stella said of the alleged victim, 43.

Alcohol was a factor, said Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall.

“Other than that, it’s unclear what was going on,” Marshall said, referring to what may have prompted the shooting.

Marshall added that the alleged victim has been less than cooperative with the investigation.

Greenbank said the man was shot in the side of upper torso and the bullet traveled toward his groin. The gun used in the shooting was a .45-caliber automatic Colt pistol.

The man underwent surgery on Sunday at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Stella said.

Chisholm is reportedly the longtime caretaker of the campground at Bloom Lake, which straddles the Bonner/Boundary county border north of Elmira.

Stella said Chisholm fled the scene after the shooting and crashed his vehicle about three-quarters of a mile away from the lake. Chisholm escaped into the woods, but was apprehended with a deputy’s K9, Stella said.

There were unconfirmed reports that Chisholm was acting in self-defense when he opened fire.

Greenbank said on Monday it’s too soon to say if anybody else will be charged in connection with the incident.