A Bozeman man was taken into custody after allegedly firing a pistol at another man in his vehicle in the Walmart parking lot on Sunday night, Oct. 2, 2022.
Cody Andrew O’Connell, 33, appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court Monday morning on a charge of attempted deliberate homicide.
Court documents say officers responded to the report of a gunshot at the Walmart in Bozeman on North 7th Avenue around 8:34 p.m. on Sunday.
Officers arrived and located O’Connell in the Walmart parking lot near his truck. The officers reportedly took O’Connell into custody and discovered a Glock 9mm pistol in his truck.
Officers read O’Connell his rights and interviewed him, while another officer interviewed the victim who had moved to another area of the parking lot.
According to court documents, O’Connell told the officers he perceived the victim was threatening him sexually from across the parking lot, although the officers said O’Connell could not elaborate on why he felt threatened.
O’Connell allegedly said he approached the victim and asked him for a lighter and that the victim was threatening him from inside his car. O’Connell said he had his finger on the trigger of his pistol when it accidentally went off, striking the man’s car.
Court documents say the victim claimed he was on his phone in the parking lot when O’Connell approached him to ask for a light. The man said O’Connell became increasingly agitated when he told him he didn’t have a light. O’Connell allegedly began pointing his pistol at the victim.
The victim said O’Connell then fired his pistol, striking the door of the victim’s car. According to the victim, O’Connell said something along the lines of, “I’m going to jail now,” and “Are you hit?” before leaving the scene.
Officers arrested and transported O’Connell to the Gallatin County Detention Center.
In court on Monday, O’Connell’s bail was set at $500,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22.
