In the early morning hours of January 5, 2022, the life of Jeremiah George Henry Garrett, a 41-year-old Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Great Falls, Montana. The incident unfolded around 8 a.m. at the intersection of 2nd Avenue South and 9th Street, where police responded to reports of a disturbance. Upon their arrival, they discovered Jeremiah outside a residence, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Great Falls Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the downtown shooting, closing off the street for several hours to process the scene. Though they assured the public that there was no ongoing threat, the community was left shaken by the violent event. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the manner of death was officially ruled a homicide.
In the days that followed, authorities worked to piece together the events that led to the shooting. On January 21, 2022, the Cascade County Sheriff formally identified Jeremiah George Henry Garrett III as the victim. On the same day, the Great Falls Police Department announced that they had a person of interest in custody. This individual was being held on unrelated charges, and their identity was not publicly released at the time. The specifics of what led to the altercation and a potential motive for the homicide have not been made public as the case moves through the legal system.
