Live coverage: Coroner's inquest underway in July shooting of escapee - Billings Gazette

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Live coverage: Coroner's inquest underway in July shooting of escapee

Sheriff's Lt. Shane Skillen shot 42-year-old Dean Randolph Jess days after Jess escaped from the state prison in Deer Lodge. Jess was in a stolen vehicle and was shot after he made a move for a gun during a standoff with law enforcement.

3rd & 7 37yd

Evands: There has to be a threat of serious bodily injury or death to use deadly force #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:35:06 PM
Evans: Lt. Skillen was justified in the shooting #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:36:00 PM
Evans: The heavy traffic/busy intersection also was a factor. Deputies needed to have control of the situation and #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:37:09 PM
Evans: "I have no concerns whatsoever" about how Lt. Skillen performed in the shooting on July 5 #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:39:10 PM
Evans has stepped down, and the state has called its next witness, Sheriff's Lt. Kent O'Donnell. #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:40:56 PM
O'Donnell is being examined by County Attorney Scott Twito #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:41:41 PM
O'Donnell: He was not working on July 5, but he was advised that there had been a shooting #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:42:14 PM
O'Donnell: He was only about 2 miles away and immediately went to the scene #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:42:45 PM
O'Donnell: He met Sheriff Linder and learned that #Billings police were assisting. He helped secure the perimeter of the scene #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:44:22 PM
O'Donnell: He spoke briefly with Deputy Ellis to see how he was doing and to secure his side arm #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:46:19 PM
O'Donnell: Skillen is a firearms instructor, is on the SWAT team and is a sniper #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:50:59 PM
O'Donnell: Skillen takes his job "very seriously. ... He's probably the top shot in our department." #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:53:16 PM
O'Donnell has stepped down and Lt. Shane Skillen is the state's next witness #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:54:26 PM
He is being questioned by prosecutor Ed Zink #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:54:58 PM
Skillen: He has been in law enforcement for about 20 years, and has been in the Sheriff's patrol division for about 13 years #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:56:19 PM
Skillen: He worked as a detective, but he prefers working in patrol #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:57:38 PM
Skillen: He was promoted to sergeant and then lieutenant. He is the afternoon shift lieutenant #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:59:11 PM
Skillen: He's been a firearms instructor since 1996. He's been on the office's version of a SWAT team since 2005 #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 7:59:54 PM
Skillen: "I also have the role of sniper on the team." #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:00:11 PM
Skillen: He was working on July 5. He got information that Jess was possibly at the Laurel Walmart #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:01:38 PM
Skillen: He and several other deputies and officers with the Violent Offender Task Force responded to the Laurel Walmart #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:03:15 PM
Skillen: He was aware that Jess was an escapee. He knew that Jess could be a threat #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:04:09 PM
Skillen: "It’s a top priority to locate him and make sure he’s not a threat to the citizens" #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:04:35 PM
Skillen: They didn't find the Jeep in Laurel and traced Jess's call to the West End Walmart #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:05:16 PM
Skillen: He started heading to the West End Walmart. He got detailed info on the stolen Jeep Jess was thought to be in #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:06:10 PM
Skillen: He got word that deputy Ellis had spotted the Jeep in question at the Walmart #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:06:55 PM
Skillen: He went code (turned on lights/sirens) so he could get there faster. All this time he was in communication with Ellis #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:07:37 PM
Skillen: He got to the intersection, he saw the Jeep in question with a male in the driver's seat #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:08:16 PM
Skillen: He got out of his car with gun drawn. "It was Dean Jess. I could identify him." #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:09:08 PM
Skillen: Ellis was on the other side of Jeep. They were telling Jess to put his hands up #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:09:47 PM
Skillen: He heard Ellis announce that Jess had a gun #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:11:09 PM
Skillen: He could see that Jess had a handgun, with his finger on the trigger. The gun was pointed at the dash #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:12:21 PM
Skillen: "He brought the gun straight up and pointed it at the roof." #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:13:06 PM
Skillen: He and Ellis were yelling at Jess to put the gun down. He stepped back so the passenger seat was between him and Jess #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:13:53 PM
Skillen: Jess didn't really react, but he slowly turned the gun so the butt was towards Skillen #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:14:53 PM
Skillen: He didn't know if Jess was going to commit suicide #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:15:16 PM
Skillen: He threatened to shoot Jess. Jess tapped his forehead and told Skillen to shoot him #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:16:17 PM
Skillen: He started calling Jess by name, hoping to resolve things. if Jess pointed the gun at him Skillen knew he had to shoot #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:17:37 PM
Skillen: "He pointed the barrel of the gun directly at me and I had no choice but to fire." #jessinquest

by Eddie Gregg via twitter 4/16/2014 8:18:10 PM