Suspect in Montana casino shooting had long criminal history

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man connected to a casino shooting that left three people dead had a long criminal history and was being sought by police prior to the attack, according to public records and court documents filed Wednesday.

Deputy U.S. marshals shot and killed 41-year-old Ricky Lee Gardipee early Tuesday in the city of Great Falls, about a mile (1.5 kilometers) away from the Emerald City Casino where three people were killed and a fourth was wounded, a coroner said.

Police have not released a motive for the slayings, which they believe Gardipee carried out.

His criminal includes convictions for assaulting a police officer, robbery, forgery, theft, burglary, drug possession and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, according to the Montana Department of Corrections.

Gardipee was released from prison in May and had been facing allegations of probation violations, The Great Falls Tribune reported.

The Great Falls resident also was wanted on allegations of misdemeanor assault at the time of the shooting, which occurred about 2 a.m. Tuesday in the casino along one of Great Falls’ main commercial strips.

Gardipee was fatally shot about three hours later behind an elementary school.

A woman accused of harboring Gardipee and who was with him just before the shooting faces charges in connection with the case, the Great Falls Tribune .

Police found the three bodies inside the casino when they arrived. The victims were 53-year-old Cheryl Ann Larsen, 60-year-old Wendy Joanne Carlson and 61-year-old Steve Mitchell Hale.

A fourth person with a gunshot wound showed up at a hospital and was in stable condition as of Wednesday.

Federal, state and local authorities searched for the shooter across the city and found the suspect near the school in a neighborhood, officials said.

Gardipee was fatally shot after “engaging law enforcement,” Great Falls police Capt. Jeff Newton said. He did not elaborate.

Gardipee’s body has been sent for an autopsy, Petroleum County Coroner R.J. Brown said in a statement.

Emerald City Casinos own a chain of restaurants and bars with gambling machines in Great Falls and other Montana locations.

A call to the casino where the shooting happened rang unanswered Wednesday.

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Jennifer Ferrar of the AP’s News Research Center contributed to this report.