GREAT FALLS — Ryan Van Nguyen has been charged with negligent homicide for the death of Jackson Molnar in Great Falls.
It happened on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in the parking lot of the Albertsons-Target shopping complex in Great Falls.
On Tuesday, we learned that a GoFundMe account has been created to help the family of Molnar.
The fundraiser is aimed at helping to cover funeral and other final expenses and time off of work for Molnar's family.
It reads, in part:
It is with heavy hearts we share the tragic and untimely death of 19-year-old Jackson Molnar of Great Falls, Montana, who on July 13, 2025, was fatally shot and taken from this world far too soon. Jackson was a loving son and brother, a loyal friend, and a young man full of life and dreams. He had recently begun a career as a welder and enjoyed spending time with friends and working with his hands. No parent is ever prepared to say goodbye to a child, especially one so young. Jackson leaves behind devastated and overwhelmed parents, Amber and Peter, along with younger siblings Jolan, Laszlo, and Jacob. They are also faced with unexpected financial burdens. We are setting up this GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and give Jackson the memorial he deserves.
Click here if you would like to make a donation.
Nguyen is an airman assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base; at this point, he is in the custody of the U.S. Air Force.
We will update you as we get more information.
(JULY 14, 2025) Ryan Van Nguyen has been charged with negligent homicide for the death of Jackson Molnar in Great Falls. It happened early on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in the parking lot of the Albertsons-Target shopping complex along 10th Avenue South.
Court documents state that police were notified via a 911 call at about 2:30 a.m. of a person with a gunshot wound to the head.
Responding officers found Jackson on the ground between two of three vehicles in the parking lot.
TOMMY LYNCH REPORTS FROM THE SCENE:
Officers talked with several people at the scene, including Nguyen, who reportedly "made utterances that he shot Molnar."
According to the court documents, Nguyen indicated that he was holding the gun and preparing to clear it. He said that Molnar grabbed the slide of the gun and pulled it toward himself. Nguyen's finger was inside of the trigger guard, and the gun went off and shot Molnar.
One of the witnesses confirmed the series of events, telling detectives that he, Nguyen, and Molnar were in the backseat of one of the cars showing off their guns to each other.
He said Molnar asked to see Nguyen's gun, and Nguyen pulled it out, raised it up, and Molnar again asked to see it, and then grabbed for the gun. That is when the witness heard the gunshot.
The court documents say that Nguyen turned toward the witness and said, "I just shot Jackson."
The two then got out of the car and went around to the other side of the car where Molnar had fallen out of the vehicle. They then called 911.
The charging document concluded: “The State respectfully requests bond in the amount of O.R. The Defendant shall be released to the custody of his First Shirt."
"First Shirt" is a reference to the First Sergeant of a military unit; he or she is responsible for discipline of junior enlisted members.
Lieutenant Matt Fleming of the Great Falls Police Department stressed some key points about firearms safety: "The first one generally is to treat all firearms as if they're loaded. The next one is never point a weapon at anything you don't intend to kill, destroy, damage, or pay for. Third one is to keep your finger off the trigger until you've made the conscious decision to fire. The fourth one is to know your target, what's around your target, what's around you to include what's behind you, if possible.”
