Great Falls man faces assault charges following standoff, shelter-in-place

UPDATE: April 28 at 10:29 a.m.

22-year-old Ethan Hathaway was charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and one count of obstructing a peace officer in Cascade County court following a standoff with police in Great Falls on Monday.

According to court documents, police responded to reported threats with a handgun on 44th Street South just before 3:00 a.m. Monday. The person who made the report had been at a party inside of an apartment, where Hathaway allegedly threatened to pull a gun out on someone. The witness then saw a revolver laying on Hathaway's bed.

Multiple officers responded to a different 911 call at the same address, where two additional people reported that the same man pointed a handgun at them, and at one point had his finger on the trigger. Police determined the man was Hathaway.

Court documents say police repeatedly tried to contact Hathaway, who was still inside the apartment, but he would not exit. After leaving the apartment, he continued to not follow orders, police said.

Hathaway has prior misdemeanor convictions out of Arizona for minor in possession, criminal trespass, resisting arrest and criminal littering. He also has a pending charge of firing firearms in Great Falls Municipal Court.

The state requested bond of $100,000 and for Hathaway to be equipped with and comply with alcohol monitoring.

UPDATE: April 27 at 2:35 p.m. 

Great Falls police have identified the 22-year-old suspect as Ethan Hathaway, according to the department's release.

Investigators said officers ordered Hathaway to come out of the apartment, but that he did not respond after several rounds of commands.

The Central Montana High Risk Unit, made up of Great Falls Police Department officers and Cascade County Sheriff/Coroner's Office deputies, was then deployed.

HRU members got Hathaway to come out, but he did not follow orders for a peaceful arrest, prompting them to use less-lethal munitions to bring him into custody, police said.

Hathaway was booked into the CCSO Adult Detention Center. Police said he was charged with two counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of obstructing a peace officer or other public servant and one count of social host.

Police also contacted people who had been inside the apartment before the standoff. Officers cited an intoxicated 17-year-old male for possessing intoxicating substances while under age 21 and released him with a warning not to return, according to the report.

Police said the 17-year-old later came back to the scene and was arrested. Officers took him to Benefis Health System for a medical evaluation before remanding him to the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center.

According to police, the juvenile male was also charged with threats or improper influence in official or political matters and obstructing a peace officer or other public servant. An 18-year-old female was cited for possessing intoxicating substances while under age 21 and was released at the scene.

During the incident, schools nearby went into shelter-in-place status and several homes were evacuated, including other apartments in the building.

UPDATE: April 27, 2026 at 11:27 a.m.

A suspect has been taken into custody, and officers will remain in the area as they complete their investigation.

The Great Falls Police Department said the scene is safe and there is no further concern to the public at this time.

We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: April 27, 2026 at 9:02 a.m.

Great Falls police said in an update that the active incident unfolding at 44th Street and Central Avenue involves a felony assault with a weapon investigation, which began just before 3:00 a.m.

There is a large police presence in the area attempting to get the individual in question to comply. Residents are warned to avoid the area.

GREAT FALLS, Mont. - Great Falls police officers are on the scene of an "active incident" at 44th Street and Central Avenue on Monday morning.

"The incident is still active, but contained to one residence in the area," the Great Falls Police Department said.

Residents are asked to avoid the area if possible.

This is a developing story.

ORIGINAL COVERAGE: April 27 at 11:27 a.m.