A 38-year-old Columbia Falls woman was hospitalized Wednesday after allegedly exchanging gunshots with law enforcement outside a residence.
According to a press release issued by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), deputies from FCSO responded to a report of shots fired in the 200 block of Dawn Drive in Columbia Falls just after 9 a.m. When deputies arrived, Amanda Zahn reportedly came out of the residence armed with a pistol. The local SWAT team was dispatched to the scene and a negotiator made contact with Zahn.
Later, Zahn allegedly came back out of a camper, pointed a firearm at law enforcement and exchanged gunshots before retreating inside, where she continued to communicate with officers.
Officers ultimately deployed gas munitions and were able to secure Zahn, after which she was transported to the hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds to the chest. No further update on her condition was available.
The two officers who fired their weapons — Sgt. Travis Smith and Cpl. Jeff Perry, both of the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office — are on paid administrative leave per department protocol. The Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is conducting the officer-involved shooting investigation.