Matthew David Hurley, a 27-year-old White male, tragically lost his life on September 16, 2021, in Kalispell, Montana. On that Thursday morning, Hurley, the general manager of Fuel Fitness, was fatally shot in the gym's parking lot. The incident unfolded when Hurley and his assistant manager, Matthew Underhill, approached Jonathan Douglas Shaw, a gym member who had been living in his trailer on the property. They informed Shaw that his membership was being revoked and he could no longer stay in the parking lot.
Shaw, a 35-year-old transient man, reacted with violence to the news. He pulled out a 9mm pistol and opened fire on Hurley. According to court documents, Shaw told Hurley, "Well, you are going to die," just before shooting him multiple times. Hurley was struck four times and died at the scene. Underhill was able to escape without physical injury.
A gym patron, William Keck, witnessed the shooting and bravely intervened.
Keck retrieved a firearm from his own vehicle and exchanged gunfire with Shaw. In the ensuing shootout, both Keck and Shaw sustained gunshot wounds. Keck's actions were credited with likely preventing further harm. Shaw was taken to Logan Health for treatment of his injuries and was kept under law enforcement supervision.
Jonathan Douglas Shaw was subsequently arrested and charged with deliberate homicide for the death of Matthew Hurley and attempted deliberate homicide for the shooting of William Keck. During his trial, Shaw's defense attorneys argued that he acted in self-defense, claiming he felt threatened. However, prosecutors maintained that Shaw's actions were unjustified and that he had intended to kill both Hurley and Keck. In July 2023, a Flathead County jury found Shaw guilty on both counts. He was later sentenced to 170 years in prison. The judge described the killing as "irrational, irreverent, and cold-blooded."
