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Montana Sees Spike in Missing Person Reports Last Year

Report also finds that Native Americans are four times more likely to go missing that non-Natives

By Associated Press

BILLINGS — The number of missing person reports in Montana increased last year compared to previous years, according to state officials.

Deputy Attorney General Jon Bennion said during a news conference on Tuesday that may mean missing people are being more accurately reported after state officials took steps to address the issue, particularly in the case of missing and murdered Native Americans.

For example, law enforcement officials filed only 10 missing persons reports related to the Northern Cheyenne tribe in 2017 and 2018, according to a Montana Department of Justice report. Last year, that number jumped to 39 reports, The Billings Gazette reported.

The report says 3,277 different people were reported missing from 2017 to 2019. It says 97% of the people were found alive or dead and 3% remained missing.

The report finds Native Americans, which account for 6% of Montana’s population, are four times more likely to go missing that non-Natives.