Two people have been charged after shots were fired in Great Falls on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
The Great Falls Police Department said in a news release that just after midnight, 911 dispatchers received several reports from people in the area of 33rd Street North and Second Avenue North that they heard gunfire outside their homes.
Officers responded and found shell casings about a block away but did not see any people or vehicles in the area.
The officers reviewed surveillance footage from several residents and talked with several neighbors. The video footage confirmed that about eight rounds were fired before a light-colored passenger car fled the area.
Approximately an hour and a half later, officers were dispatched to a business in the 1400 block of 10th Avenue South for a disturbance. The caller said that a male and a female, in a light-colored vehicle, were fighting.
The vehicle left the business just before officers arrived at the scene, but the caller’s help, officers found the vehicle a short distance away and performed a traffic stop.
The vehicle was occupied by several people, including 22-year-old Ethan Hathway and a 17-year-old male. Hathway and the juvenile were each found to be in possession of a handgun. Ammunition that matched what was found at the earlier scene was also found.
The 17-year-old was cited for the following misdemeanor offenses and released to his parents.
- Operating a vehicle while having a blood alcohol concentrate of 0.02% or greater, under 21 years of age
- Careless Driving
- Carrying Concealed Weapon While Under the Influence
Hathway was arrested and taken to the Cascade County jail, and charged with two misdemeanors:
- Negligent Endangerment (engaging in conduct that created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury)
- Weapons – use of prohibited (unlawful discharge of a weapon within the city limits of Great Falls)
No other details have been released. We will update you if we get more information.
