Follow-up: Man Charged After Firing At Fleeing Shoplifters

By Evlin Costa

BILINGS, MONTANA — A man has been charged six months after firing shots at suspected shoplifters in a busy parking lot, and we called it from the beginning. It’s a pretty simple case of ‘what not to do’ with your firearm.

To freshen up, take a moment to watch the video of the incident.

Local news reports;

City prosecutors have filed charges against a man who fired his gun during an attempted citizen’s arrest in the Rimrock Mall parking lot.

The charges against James Ellis Newman, 30, come six months after the Feb. 25 incident.

Newman was charged on Aug. 18 in Billings Municipal Court with negligent endangerment and unlawful discharge of a firearm. The charges are misdemeanors.

The Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office previously reviewed the case and declined to file any felony charges.

Let’s review this case:

• Newman tried to make a citizen’s arrest against two people that were leaving the mall with a cart full of items, which he thought were stolen.
• He was openly carrying a his firearm and told the suspects if they tried to run him over, he would shoot them.
• One suspect got out and ran, and the other got into the drivers seat.
• The new driver tried to leave …Read the Rest

  Source:: Concealed Nation