Sheriff’s Deputies Respond to Shots Fired in Missoula
A little after midnight on Tuesday, deputies with the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on Old Petty Creek Road. Dispatch advised deputies that 47-year-old Jerry Buck reportedly went to a man’s residence, fired a gun, and then left. Deputies arrived and made contact with the man and a woman. The woman explained that she previously dated Buck for about a year before breaking up with him a little over a week ago.
The man said that his sister, who lives nearby, called him and informed him that Buck was outside of his residence. The man locked his door and returned to bed. The man did not know what Buck was planning to do and felt afraid that Buck might enter his residence. Court documents indicate the man heard his dog barking, footsteps on his deck, and then a gunshot. The man left his bed and grabbed his gun. He looked outside and saw Buck speeding off in his vehicle.
The woman said she was inside the man’s residence and she also heard the dog barking. The woman said she knew Buck was outside due to the unique noise made by his muffler. She explained that Buck took her .380 out of her truck and fired off a round outside. The casing was located in the man’s driveway. The woman said that Buck must have left with her gun because she could not find it, but the sheath was still in her truck. The woman explained that she believed Buck planned to shoot someone or himself that night. She also told law enforcement that Buck sent her messages hours before the gunshot stating that the man was “done.”
Next, law enforcement spoke with the man’s sister. She reported seeing Buck’s car pull into her brother’s driveway. She then walked over to her brother’s residence to make sure everything was ok and heard a gunshot. She saw Buck take off in his vehicle and hit a tree.
Deputies later located Buck hiding in a storage shed on his father’s property. He denied firing a gun that evening. When law enforcement asked about the location of the .380, Buck stated something to the effect of, “You won’t find that gun.” Buck also claimed that he wrecked his car driving down Petty Creek Road because he was going too fast.
Law enforcement arrested Buck and transported him to jail. He is currently being charged with felony assault with a weapon and felony attempted assault with a weapon.