A coroner on Monday identified Daniel Joseph Sangrey, 49 years old, as the fugitive who died after being shot by a law enforcement officer in Great Falls on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, and two women have been charged with interfering in the search for Sangrey.
On Wednesday, Great Falls police officers and members of the Montana Department of Adult Probation & Parole and the U.S. Marshal Service were working together as part of the Violent Offender Task Force to find Sangrey, who had a no-bond warrant for his arrest.
The investigation led to a house in the 200 block of 16th Avenue South. Just after 9 a.m., officers made contact with Sangrey, who ran away and reportedly had a weapon.
Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton said during a news conference: "Once initial contact was made, the wanted person fled the residence on foot carrying a weapon. A foot pursuit ensued, ending in an officer-involved shooting. Officers on scene provided immediate life-saving measures and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene as well. At this point, the wanted person has succumbed to wounds from the officer-involved shooting."
The body was taken to the State Crime Lab in Billings for an autopsy conducted by the Montana State Medical Examiner, as required by Montana law.
Two women have been charged in connection with the investigation. Nikki Darlene Breen and Leah Romero have both been charged with the felony of obstruction of justice.
Court documents state that Breen and Romero lied to law enforcement officers about Sangrey being in Breen's home at the time officers arrived searching for him.
After the women were taken to the Great Falls Police Department for questioning, Romero reportedly told police officers that she had been using drugs and driving around with Sangrey about 30 minutes before officers arrived at the home looking for him.
According to the Montana Department of Corrections, Sangrey's criminal history includes felony convictions for burglary, theft, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to distribute.
In accordance with Montana Code, R. J. Brown, the civilian coroner for Petroleum County, was called in and assumed the duties of Cascade County Coroner for this case and the required inquest.
The investigation into the shooting is continuing by the Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
This was the eighth "officer-involved shooting" resulting in a fatality in Cascade County since 2013 - click here for more information.
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