The Lake County Sheriff’s Department arrested seven individuals after responding to a 4:30 a.m. disturbance call reporting gunfire at the Charlo baseball fields on Jan. 9.
According to Lake County Sheriff Lucky Larson, the early-morning Jan. 9 gathering was supposed to be a fight between two men. A 911 caller reported three vehicles involved in the disturbance, all of which were already gone from the baseball fields before officers from the Sheriff’s Department and CSKT Tribal Police arrived. Officers located the vehicles at the interchange of Highway 212 and U.S. Highway 93 based on vehicle descriptions given by the third-party witness.
Deputies arrested all seven people involved and seized a firearm, a knife and a baseball bat. After a day of interviews, five people were released and two were jailed in Lake County.
Cory Mitchell, 22, of Polson, was charged with intimidation, assault with a weapon and criminal endangerment related to the discharge of a .44 magnum revolver. Cole Kneesen, 23, of Polson, was charged with robbery, assault with a weapon, obstructing a peace officer and carrying a concealed weapon, the knife, while under the influence.
Sheriff’s deputies determined that Mitchell and Kneesen were part of a group of five people who drove to Charlo to meet with two others. Larson reported that Kneesen was supposed to fight one of the two other men.
Mitchell posted $20,000 bond. Kneesen remains in custody on $20,000 bond in addition to other outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions.