Man accused of Whitefish shooting that sent ricochet into bystander

A Rollins man faces a felony criminal endangerment charge after a gun he fired in Whitefish on May 14 left a bystander hospitalized with a wound from a ricochet.

Wilson Dane Huyser, 33, is being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on a $75,000 bond. He was arrested in cooperation with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office after fleeing the scene, authorities said.

The shooting occurred about 11 p.m. near the parking structure attached to City Hall, officials with the Whitefish Police Department said in a press release. After speaking with witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage, investigators concluded that multiple gunshots were fired from a vehicle exiting the parking facility.

Fragments from one of those rounds struck an individual standing in a nearby alley, officials said. First responders took the victim to Logan Health — Whitefish for medical care.

Investigators in Whitefish reached out to their counterparts in Lake County after identifying Huyser as a suspect in the shooting. Deputies there found Huyser in his home. He allegedly confirmed his presence in Whitefish on the night of the shooting.

A search of Huyser’s vehicle yielded two handguns and a spent shell casing, officials said.

After the Flathead County Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and evidence, a warrant for Huyser’s arrest was issued. Authorities took him into custody on May 23.

If convicted, Huyser faces up to 10 years in state prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.

Authorities said the shooting remains under investigation.