POLSON — A man is behind bars in Polson after barricading himself inside a home and then firing at officers on Saturday, April 6, 2024,
Lake County Sheriff Don Bell says the incident began when officers responded to a reported “domestic violence incident” at a home on Kerr Dam Road.
The victim had left the home and a relative reported the assault to 911 at approximately 6:45 p.m. after seeing the victim’s injuries, according to a news release.
Sheriff Bell says deputies responded to the residence at approximately 7:30 p.m. and contacted the suspect, 63-year-old Rick Riebe, who threatened to shoot the officers.
Riebe barricaded himself in the home and continued to threaten to shoot officers who Sheriff Bell says, “were attempting to de-escalate the situation.”
At one point, Riebe left the home with a shotgun but then again went back inside, a news release states.
Law enforcement tried to negotiate with Riebe over the phone but Sheriff Bell says that Riebe “refused attempts to resolve the matter peacefully.”
The Flathead County SWAT was called in to assist the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and arrived on the scene at around 10:30 p.m.
Negotiations continued but were not successful with Sheriff Bell saying that “chemical agent munitions were deployed inside the residence to compel Riebe to exit the home,” at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Riebe then began repeatedly firing his shotgun and a rifle at officers, with Sheriff Bell stating that law enforcement did not return fire because they didn’t know exactly where Riebe was.
Riebe left the home 15 minutes later “and was subdued by a K9,” a news release states.
Riebe was taken to the Lake County jail on an outstanding warrant.
He is also being held pending charges of Partner or Family Member Assault, Assault on an Officer, and Criminal Endangerment.
Sheriff Bell says other charges are also pending as a result of the incident.
