(MISSOULA) Chase Munson, one of the two suspects who were involved in a shooting at a Missoula gas station last month, says he’s not guilty.
Munson, 18 years old, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of attempted deliberate homicide in Missoula District Court.
Court documents state that Munson is the perpetrator in the shootings that took place at the South Avenue Market on South Higgins Avenue.
Munson shot two people at the store and then planned on running away to Mexico after learning that he was wanted by police, according to court documents.
Prosecutors requested Munson’s bail to be held at $1 million, citing the nature of his offenses and the likelihood of Munson being a flight risk..
Judge Karen Townsend agreed to the prosecutor’s request.
Ivory Brien, 19, was also charged with two counts of accountability to attempted deliberate homicide in connection with the shooting.
An omnibus hearing in the case is scheduled for May 15.
(MARCH 9, 2018) Chase James Munson and Ivory Brien, who were arrested earlier this week in connection with the shooting of two people at a Missoula convenience store, appeared in Missoula County Justice Court Friday.
Munson, 18 years old, was charged with two counts of attempted deliberate homicide; prosecutors say he used a .22 revolver to shoot two people at the South Avenue Market on Tuesday. His bail was set at $1 million.
Brien, 19, was charged with two counts of accountability to attempted deliberate homicide. His bail was also set at $1 million.
According to court documents, the pair was out “car-hopping” on March 6 before heading to South Avenue Market. Munson was armed with the revolver and Brien was carrying pepper spray.
There were two people in the convenience store when the suspects walked in. Prosecutors say that Munson shot the first victim in the back, and then stood over the person once they were on the ground and shot the person in the head.
The second victim was a store clerk, and he attempted to hide behind the counter. Munson went behind the counter and stood over the clerk before shooting him in the shoulder, prosecutors say.
They added that Brien was spraying both victims with pepper spray during the incident.
The store employee was treated and released from a Missoula hospital. The other victim remains hospitalized; there is no word on the person’s current condition.
Both suspects left the scene without taking anything from the store, and returned to a dormitory at the University of Montana.
Munson packed a bag and checked into a hotel room where he was later arrested. Prosecutors say he told others that he was planning to leave the country for Mexico.
Public defenders say Munson has no criminal history, was enrolled as a student at UM and has family in Missoula. Brien is from Arlee originally and has no criminal history.
Neither of the victims were armed, prosecutors say.
Both men are suspected to have been using Xanax at the time of the shooting.
