Whitefish Police explain response to Lion Mountain home following 911 call

The Whitefish Police Department has issued a statement related to law enforcement’s response to a call to Larch Lane on Lion Mountain on June 14.

The notice came after recent social media posts regarding the incident where Whitefish Police and Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 call.

“The Whitefish Police Department is aware of recent social media posts regarding this incident that are inaccurate and accuse the Whitefish Police Department of targeting the house because one of the family members attended the protests recently held in Whitefish regarding the horrific death of George Floyd,” the release stated. “On the night of this incident, our officers had no idea who lived at the address in question. The officers took appropriate safety precautions to protect themselves and the public.”

The 911 dispatch center received a call at about 11:01 p.m. from a Lion Mountain resident who said he heard a woman scream and then heard what was believed to be two gun shots. Sheriff’s deputies were contacted, but since the deputies were a distance away, according to a release, the Whitefish Police Department, under routine mutual aid, was asked to respond.

Two officers responded to the area and saw a man walking and asked if he had heard or seen anything. Officers also spoke with a resident who had outdoor lights on and were told nothing had been heard or seen regarding the call.

Based upon information provided by the caller who told dispatch that the sounds had come from a house south of his residence, officers and deputies went to the house and “suspecting someone could have been injured or dead, illuminated the area with their lights.”

Law enforcement determined there was no immediate threat, so they made contact with the resident of the home and determined that everyone was safe and that no one was harmed and no crime had been committed.

“Flathead County law enforcement agencies are dedicated to protecting all individuals no matter their race, creed, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion or participation in peaceful demonstrations,” the press release said. “We encourage our citizens and visitors to reach out to us directly with questions about our actions to quell the spread of false information, especially that which serves to villainize law enforcement.”