Commissioners weigh in after Wallace shooting

Two members of the Shoshone County Board of County Commissioners shared their thoughts this week in the wake of the incident involving an active shooter in Wallace on Dec. 26.

Shoshone County Commissioner Melissa Cowles said the BOCC is focusing on safety and security of county buildings as a top priority. 

“The BOCC had already been addressing the safety and security of the county courthouse before this terrible event occurred, collaborating with various departments within the courthouse,” Cowles said.  

Commissioner Dave Dose said the shooting should spur officials into scrutinizing county protocols. 

“This terrible event from last week should most definitely cause county leadership to reexamine security at all county facilities — to look for places where we can increase/improve safety for the public and the employees of Shoshone County,” Dose said. 

Work is already underway to break down ways to increase security, Dose said, “to look for lessons learned and to prioritize safety” across facilities.  

“Changes will be forthcoming,” Dose said. “We have to learn from this and put those lessons into action as is our moral and legal duty.” 

Shots were fired just after 2:30 p.m. last Friday, striking the Ace Hardware building on Bank Street in Wallace. A standoff ensued with law enforcement after the suspect fled into the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.    

Two civilian women sitting in a pickup truck outside the sheriff’s office received bullet wounds in the legs, according to the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office.  

Kellogg Police Department Officer Dameon Groves was reported to have been struck in the ear but was still able to finish his shift after receiving treatment, Kellogg Police Chief Paul Twidt said. All three shooting victims are recovering well.   

—  Contributing reporting by Carolyn Bostick and Josh McDonald.