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JANUARY 10, 2024
A 22-year-old Browning man accused of shooting and injuring his neighbor with a crossbow on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Alonzo Gene Skunkcap pleaded guilty to an assault with a dangerous weapon charge before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Morris. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Skunkcap on Oct. 1, 2023 was outside of his residence and a male neighbor was in his driveway working on a vehicle when Skunkcap threatened to shoot his dog. The neighbor responded that if Skunkcap shot his dog, he would shoot Skunkcap.

Skunkcap then retrieved a crossbow from his residence and fired it at the neighbor, who was standing by a fence. The bolt, or arrow, pierced the side of his neck.

After the assault, Skunkcap went back into his house and waited for law enforcement. When officers arrived, he told them he shot his neighbor because he didn’t know how to deal with threats, that he was scared and just went with his “instinct.”

The neighbor removed the bolt himself, suffered two puncture wounds and sought medical attention. He did not suffer a serious or life-threatening injury.

Skunkcap’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 15. He was detained pending further proceedings.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and FBI conducted the investigation.

At least Skunkcap owned up to it.

They’re a proud people lol

It's a complex situation.

And FWIW I heard the windchill in Browning is -50F.

I worked with a Hotshot crew from Browning many years ago. They were all hard working folks and very honest. That said, they also advised me to NEVER stay on the reservation.

Years back, Cutbank, Montanna was the coldest in the nation?

Atleast he didn't scalp him also.

Tough start in life for a 22 year old kid..

A couple year in prison might help him learn better ways to deal with threats and there won't be any dogs to aggravate him.

A non life threatening flesh wound in the neck stops a crossbow bolt?

More than likely a couple years in prison will teach him how to be a bigger thug.

Apparently, neighbor was tuff, he jerked that crossbow bolt out himself too.

If they keep him in Deer Lodge it ain't so bad..

Browning MT was the last place I felt "uncomfortable" as an adult male in broad daylight. I stopped for fuel, took a spin through the pawn shop to see what guns they had and headed out of town.

My dad's cousin was a surveyor out of Whitefish and spent lots of time all the way around and on the Blackfeet Reservation. He's gotten along very well all the way around. He told me when/if I needed to start up a conversation that I should start slow and not necessarily look the person directly in the eye right off until things warmed up a bit. Due to my upbringing, my initial instinct is to look everyone directly in the eye right off. Major cultural difference I guess.

Sounds like the neighbor was about 2 inches away from being ded, got lucky that day…

Had a guy on the crew arrested on the job one day for shooting at his neighbor, he said he didn’t know why everyone was freaking out, it was just a .22lr.

I thought I was going to be raped one time at the Town Dump (Pump) in Browning….that town can be rough.

I’ve been to all reservations in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, as well as a few in the Dakotas and many native villages in Alaska. Some are good, many, many are not but Browning was the worst as far as living conditions and quality of life, from a cursory glance.

Another attempted murder on a reservation, is another day on a reservation. The only thing really interesting, was the guy pulling out the bolt! That in itself makes the story!

If it wasn’t for the “fact” that the 22 year couldn’t own firearms due to previous DVs that crossbow could’ve been a rifle or buckshot.

I don’t know if the kid can’t own firearms but I can read between the lines.

Bugsy's boys....

I"ll send up a few Comanche's and Kiowas....