Victim’s identity, other details released in Washington City shooting death

Stock image | Photo by Carl Ballou/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News.

ST. GEORGE — The identity of the man who was shot and killed Thursday night in Washington City has been confirmed by authorities, and additional details have come to light involving the events that unfolded prior to the shooting.

On Thursday when officers responded to the gunshot wound report in the 300 block of Huntington Hill Road, they found the suspect, Bradly Hunt, 32, on the front driveway near a man who suffered a chest wound. According to the probable cause statement filed in support of Hunt’s arrest, inside of the front door they found a shotgun.  

Medical units arrived and transported the man, identified as 38-year-old Christopher Montgomery, to Dixie Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, as confirmed  by Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams in St. George News’ original report Friday morning.  

Meanwhile, the suspect was detained and later transported to the Washington City Police Department for questioning. During the interview, Hunt allegedly told police he had a physical altercation with Montgomery earlier in the day and said he was told shortly after that Montgomery was armed and had left the area after retrieving a firearm from his home.

In response, the suspect told police that his father placed a shotgun near the front door in case the man returned to their residence.  

According to the probable cause statement, Hunt said he was in the backyard with friends a little after 10 p.m. when he heard his dogs barking and went inside to look out the front window, which is when he observed Montgomery allegedly attempting to enter the home through a window.

Hunt told police he “grabbed the shotgun, opened the front door, and then fired a shot at the victim,” without exchanging any words.

Stock image of the Washington City Police Department, Washington City, Utah, Aug. 3, 2019 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Hunt also told police that he noticed “an item in the victim’s hand when he looked out the window” before opening the door but that he was unable to identify what it was, and when he opened the door he didn’t know if Montgomery was armed or not. 

Police also spoke to a number of witnesses who were close by when the shot was fired.

According to the report, one witness gave a different account of the events that transpired moments before the shot was fired.

The witness confirmed that Hunt went into the residence when the dogs first started barking, but said he returned to the backyard briefly, telling the group Montgomery was out front before going toward the side gate to investigate. Moments later, they found Hunt standing at the gate holding the shotgun. At that point, the witness told police, Hunt said “he had shot the victim.” 

During a subsequent search of the residence, officers located a baggie containing what appeared to be marijuana, along with a grinding tool that also had a green substance on it. 

A background check revealed that Hunt was a convicted felon and was prohibited from having any firearms. He was transported to jail on a homicide charge, along with a felony firearms charge, and the misdemeanor drug charges were submitted to the Washington County Attorney’s Office for review. 

The incident remains under investigation, and the suspect remains in custody on $100,000 bail.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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