Identity of Man Arrested After Morning Shootout With Missoula Police Released
Missoula police arrested 26-year-old Donald Stebbins after reports of shots fired and a vehicle chase early this morning. According to Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh officers were originally called out just before 3:30 a.m. to the 900 block of North Orange Street when an individual called 911 reporting that there had been a vehicle collision in a parking lot and that shots were fired near the crash.
Police later learned that Stebbins, who was driving a blue Chevy pick-up, had pulled up to another vehicle and produced the handgun before the other car pulled away.
Police eventually caught up to the blue pick-up and tried to pull it over near Scott Street and Rogers Street, but Stebbins sped away, leading officers on a chase through the northwest part of town until the driver got out of the car on the west end of Otis Street with his gun in hand.
Officers tried to apprehend the suspect and they report that there was an exchange of gunfire before the man finally dropped his weapon and tried walking away from officers, ignoring their commands to stop. After a brief struggle in which the man refused to be cuffed, Stebbins was apprehended and no one suffered any severe injuries.
The Department of Criminal Investigation has been called out to do an investigation into the incident because a police officer discharged his weapon.
An investigation is underway to try to find out where all the bullets went.
The Missoula County Jail booked Donald W. Stebbins on a felony assault with a weapon charge this morning. He is being held on a relatively high initial bond amount of $100,000. The jail has not uploaded a picture of Stebbins we will add the photo when it is available.