Two 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old have been charged after one of them allegedly fired shots from a vehicle toward a group of people walking near the intersection of Third Avenue West and Fifth Street West in Kalispell late Thursday night.
The men face separate assault-related charges from the incident, which apparently stemmed from an earlier fight.
According to court records, Dillon Yeadon, 18, and Jeremy LaPorta, 19, fought with three men Thursday evening, then drove to the home of Josiah Brown, 18, where Yeadon told Brown to “get his .38.” Brown allegedly retrieved his .38-caliber revolver and entered the back seat of a vehicle driven by LaPorta, who began driving with the “sole purpose” of finding the men from the earlier fight. When they found them, Brown fired two shots in their vicinity around 11:30 p.m. No one was struck by the gunfire.
Officers from the Kalispell Police Department were able to locate the vehicle after being given a description by the alleged targets. When questioned by police, Brown admitted to his role in the shooting and officers discovered a revolver in the vehicle.
All three men were charged with separate felony counts in Flathead County District Court on Friday. Brown faces assault with a weapon, Yeadon is charged with solicitation of assault with a weapon, and LaPorta’s charge is accountability to assault with a weapon. All three offenses are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Brown, Yeadon and LaPorta are currently being held at the Flathead County Detention Center.