The area of sixth Avenue North is reopened.


The unidentified 35-year-old Billings woman has died after allegedly leading police on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle and holding police on a two-hour standoff. Police report she was wielding a handgun and fired shots and they fired back.

The woman allegedly robbed a business in the heights, stole a vehicle and then crashed it and proceeded to hold police in a two-hour standoff. Lt. Lennick said she was declared dead a short time later at the hospital. Police report they fired on her when she fired at officers.

“Officers worked on negotiations with the suspect for approximately two hours, but the suspect refused to cooperate. SWAT Officers then deployed gas into the vehicle. The suspect exited the vehicle with the firearm pointed at Officers. A Yellowstone County SWAT Officer fired, striking the suspect. Medical care was administered by SWAT Officers as well as AMR, and the suspect was transported to a local hospital. The suspect was later pronounced deceased at the hospital,” said Lt. Lennick.

Original story: Billings police were held in an active standoff Saturday night in the 1100 block of 6th Avenue for several hours after they responded to a robbery.
The suspect, a 35-year-old woman, refused to leave her vehicle that was disabled on 6th Ave North.

She was allegedly armed and non-compliant, according to Lt. Matt Lennick.

The woman, who was not identified, allegedly fired a shot from a handgun during the robbery and wrecked the reported stolen vehicle during the robbery, according to Lt. Lennick.

After crashing, she remained armed and held police in a two-hour standoff with police negotiators and the SWAT team were both on the scene and continued to try and get her out of the vehicle.

Police fired gas canisters into the vehicle and forced her out.

It’s still unclear if she fired, but officers did fire and injured her and she was taken to a local hospital.

BPD SWAT surrounded the area and closed 6th Ave N to Main Street.

“This event has been upgraded to an Officer involved shooting. The suspect, who has not been identified, in the standoff exited the vehicle with the firearm and shots were fired,” said Lt. Lennick.

Investigators will continue to have 6th Ave North shut down.

BPD Squad Cruiser

“Officers worked on negotiations with the suspect for approximately two hours, but the suspect refused to comply,” said Lt. Lennick.