Resident opens fire at senior home

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

No one was hurt in a gunfire incident at Huckleberry Retirement in which a resident of elderly care facility fired a pistol at a staffer.

Officers from the Sandpoint Police Department and deputies with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office responded Saturday night to reports of gunfire at Huckleberry Retirement, located at the intersection of Division Avenue and Ponderosa Drive. Within moments, law enforcement had the suspect, James Raftery, in custody and the situation under control.

In interviews with officers, the victim, who works at the facility, said that just before 7 p.m. Raftery pulled a .22 caliber 1911 handgun from his waist, pointed it at him and fired. He then returned to his room with the gun.

After the incident was reported, the sheriff’s office issued a statement advising people to avoid the North Division area due to law enforcement activity. Police vehicles from Sandpoint and Ponderay police departments and Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, including an armored vehicle, gathered along the streets, next to nearby apartments and in the parking lots of office complexes, forming a perimeter around the retirement home. After a brief standoff, Raftery surrendered to officers without any harm done to himself, Huckleberry Retirement employees or law enforcement. Officers then entered the facility to gather and process evidence.

No motive for the shooting was immediately apparent. The case is still under investigation.