Police and SWAT secured several blocks Sunday as officers investigated a shooting and searched a home for a suspected gunman.
BILLINGS, Mont. — A shooting in downtown Billings disrupted several blocks Sunday as police imposed road restrictions, asked some residents to shelter in place and deployed SWAT officers while investigating a possible barricaded suspect.
The large public-safety response centered near North 23rd Street and First Avenue North after a man was shot and taken to a hospital. His condition was not released. Police later entered a nearby home where they believed the person they were seeking might be located, but the suspect was not found there.
Billings police alerted the public shortly after 3:30 p.m. Sunday and asked people to avoid the area. Officers were already at the scene before SWAT personnel assumed a larger role in the response. Several surrounding residences were told to shelter in place while the operation continued.
The restricted area extended beyond the immediate shooting scene. Police activity and closures stretched from First Street West to Third Street West, while areas near North 22nd and North 24th streets were also taped off. The response brought police, emergency and tactical personnel into the downtown neighborhood for several hours.
Authorities initially said a man was believed to be barricaded inside a home near the shooting scene. That possibility led officers to secure the surrounding area while SWAT prepared to enter the residence.
SWAT officers went into the home around 7:30 p.m., but police said they did not find the suspect. By late Sunday, authorities said the area around the North 23rd Street and First Avenue North home no longer presented an immediate threat. The home remained secured with police tape as a crime scene.
The investigation then continued elsewhere, including near the 100 block of Monroe Street. Police did not release a suspect description or identify the person they had believed was inside the searched residence.
Ethan Adams, who lives near the area, said he heard gunshots followed by sirens Sunday. He also reported hearing gunfire Saturday night. Police have not established a public connection between the reported gunfire on the two nights.
The shooting victim’s identity and medical condition remained undisclosed, and police had not announced an arrest by the latest update. Investigators continued trying to locate the suspect and determine the circumstances of the shooting after the immediate neighborhood restrictions were lifted.
Author note: Last updated Sept. 7, 2026.