3 Dead in Montana Casino Shooting, Suspect Killed by Police

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — An overnight shooting Tuesday at a Montana casino left three people dead and another person injured and the suspect was later tracked down and killed by police, officials said.

The shooting happened about 2 a.m. at the Emerald City Casino in Great Falls, along one of the city’s main commercial strips, according to a statement from the Great Falls Police Department.

Police found the bodies of three victims inside the casino when they arrived. T hey searched for the shooter for mor e than three hours until the suspect was found by officers in a residential neighborhood about a mile (1.6 kilometers) away.

The suspect was fatally shot by officers at about 5:45 a.m, according to the police statement.

“There is no longer a danger to the public,” the statement said.

The injured person was admitted to Benefis Hospital for unspecified injuries, police said. The person was not identified

A hospital spokeswoman, Kaci Husted, said the injured person was in stable condition in the intensive care unit. She did not have additional details.

Emerald City Casinos own a chain of restaurants and bars with gambling machines in Great Falls and other Montana locations. A call to the casino where the shooting happened rang unanswered Tuesday morning.

An elementary school near where police killed the suspect canceled classes and postponed a K-3 grade concert. A message left at the school was not immediately returned.

The shooting is being investigated by local and federal officers.