Police Officer Named In Motel Shooting Incident [YouTube]

The Missoula police officer involved in last week's motel shooting incident has been identified. 

Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh said the incident occurred last Thursday at the CitiLodge Motel on West Broadway.

"The name of the Officer involved in the shooting incident last week is Garth Craigen," Welsh said. "He is an 8-year veteran at MPD.  The State of Montana, Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing its investigation of this incident.This is a standard practice in incidents of this nature and a determination of his return to work will be made at a later time as information becomes available from the investigation."

The incident began when U.S. Marshals received a tip that Olajide Fletcher, a fugitive from Washington State was in a vehicle at the motel. He was surrounded by police and attempted to ram a vehicle full of U.S. Marshals with his Acura SUV. Officer Craigen fired three shots into the vehicle and it stopped after crashing into the marshals' car. Fletcher had some glass splinters removed from his face, but was otherwise uninjured. He and his traveling companion Tia Kelley were taken into custody. Fletcher is being held on $250,000 bond and has waived extradition, while Kelley has refused. She is being held on a $1 million dollar material witness warrant.

Welsh said Craigen has been placed on paid administrative leave until the investigation has been completed.