The Missoula County Attorney’s Office charged six new criminal complaints this week, which is five less than last week and well below the weekly average. According to County Attorney Kirsten Pabst, half of those cases involved interpersonal family violence.

“In one, the defendant allegedly threatened to shoot his father and then damaged his father’s vehicle,” Pabst said. “In another, the defendant allegedly put a hatchet to his wife’s neck during a heated argument. We charged one endangerment case that also involved assault with a weapon. In that case, the defendant allegedly shot a man in the leg at a gas station.”

Pabst said her office also charged a theft case.

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“In that case, the defendant allegedly stole three different Subarus on different occasions over the last few months,” Pabst said. “We also charged a fugitive from justice. In addition to charging those new cases this week, we are looking at three in custodies for potential charges this afternoon. We also are facilitating three coroner’s inquests as well.”

Pabst explained exactly what a coroner’s inquest is.

“When a suspect is either under arrest, or in the custody of law enforcement, and dies either by their own hand or through an exchange with law enforcement, we conduct what we call is a coroner’s inquest,” Pabst said. “A jury is brought in and all of the evidence relating to the death is presented to the jury. Then they make findings whether or not the law enforcement acted within the bounds of the law while doing their duty or whether or not criminal charges should be filed against the law enforcement, or someone else in that matter. They just look at everything and make recommendations.”

The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release on Thursday evening stating that a coroner’s jury cleared a deputy of any wrongdoing after a Missoula man was shot to death in an incident that occurred on August 29, 2021. You can listen to Pabst’s full report below:

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