Missoula Standoff Suspect Gets $250,000 Bond After Making Gun Threats
52 year-old Scott McKinney is being held in the Missoula County Detention Center on $250,000 bond after allegedly threatening at least one individual with a gun and creating a standoff with law enforcement that lasted almost two days.
McKinney appeared in Missoula Justice Court before Judge Landee Holloway on Friday from the Missoula County Jail.
Deputy Missoula County Attorney Andrew Jenks asked for the high bond to keep McKinney behind bars for the public’s safety.
“Your Honor at this point the state is requesting that bond be imposed in the amount of $250,000. The state is aware of the defendant’s lack of criminal history or PSA (Public Safety Assessment) level and also that mental health issues may have played a part in the offense,” began Jenks. “Your Honor, the state has filed an amended affidavit of probable cause that the court has reviewed.”
Jenks began to detail the charges against McKinney from an amended affidavit of probably cause.
“The defendant is alleged to have made a threat to an individual on June 1, threatening to shoot them,” he said. “That individual reported that the threat was the defendant stating ‘I was just at Scheel’s (sporting goods) trying to buy guns because I'm going to shoot you. Law enforcement was alerted earlier on the day of June 1, that Cabela's (sporting goods) staff reported that they had the defendant removed from their store. The defendant was attempting to purchase two firearms and one rifle per the staff. The staff refused sales because they had indicated the defendant’s behavior was aggressive and disturbing and would not sell the firearms.”
Jenks also described complaints made to law enforcement by McKinney's neighbors after the standoff began.
"When law enforcement surrounded the defendants house, and SWAT was called another individual contacted law enforcement expressing concerns that of the defendants behavior, including notifying law enforcement that this individual was aware the defendant recently received a book regarding guns and the government," he said. "Furthermore, Your Honor, there were other various neighbors who contacted law enforcement stating they were all concerned as well about the defendants behaviors on June 1."
Then, Jenks outlined the original charge of felony assault with a weapon.
“In the amended affidavit of probable cause, Mr. Ward, who is the alleged victim, was traveling with two other individuals,” he said. “Law enforcement is still working on a follow up investigation with those two individuals. Mr. Ward reported that he viewed the defendant holding a black handgun at his vehicle and was terrified for his life and ‘floored it’ out of the neighborhood. Mr. Ward estimated it was 30 to 45 seconds that the gun was affixed to his vehicle and the defendant followed the vehicle with his gun aiming at the vehicle. Mr. Ward was terrified for his life.”
McKinney denied even owning a firearm. The public defender asked that McKinney’s bond be set at $50,000 or less.
Judge Holloway set bond for McKinney at $250,000 and he was remanded back to the Missoula County Detention Center.
The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.