GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Police Department hosted a retirement ceremony for Senior Police Officer Tanner Lee on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Lee was the victim of several gunshot wounds, delivered by a fleeing suspect on March 7th, 2023. Several bullets hit Lee’s body armor but others did severe damage to his right arm.
Lee has since undergone surgeries and extensive physical therapy. Unfortunately, he is no longer able to perform at the level he wishes to continue pursuing a career as an officer.
Though he is heartbroken, he is keeping his head high, and faith in mind.
“I would have loved to fulfill a 20 year career, but obviously that door closed. Deep down, I do know that, God will open up another door for me,” says Tanner.
Tanner’s wife, Harly Lee, continues to support her husband through what was undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions either has ever had to make. She continues to admire his attitude.
Harly said, “He’s a very prideful and proud man, and this is was his dream job,” says Harly. “And, he'll probably always hold that with him in his heart. And so for him to be as positive as he has been for this whole entire time, I can't even express how thankful I am of his grace and kindness.”
The event was attended by residents of Great Falls, friends and family, and first responders from fire, police, and the Sheriff’s department.
Great Falls Police Chief Jeff Newton said, “He believes in service to the community, character integrity. He’s a fantastic team member, tremendous work ethic, and he's going to be sorely missed. Despite the challenges he had out there getting shot, it's tough to lose him, but you know, he's going to do well.”
Tanner is forever grateful for the support the community showed while recovering from his injury. Now, between jobs, he says he’s looking forward to some bonding with family.
“I get to be Mr. Mom,” says Lee. “I’m going to be a stay-at-home daddy for a little while. It just makes so much more sense for me to stay at home, raise my kids.”
Though his active service time is complete, Tanner knows he has made brothers and sisters in blue for life, all of them just a phone call away.
“When you shed blood and tears of sweat with somebody, that's it's a bond that you'll never have elsewhere,” says Lee.
(OCTOBER 20, 2023) Nikki Marie Snell of Harlem, who admitted to methamphetamine and gun crimes after an attempted traffic stop led to the driver shooting a Great Falls police officer, was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
Snell, 38 years old, was sentenced to six years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a news release.
Snell pleaded guilty in May to possession with intent to distribute meth and to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Court documents stated that in mid-2022, the Russell Country Drug Task Force in Great Falls learned that Snell was trafficking meth in the community and acquired meth that agents traced to Snell.
On March 7, 2023, Great Falls police officers attempted a traffic stop of a car from Billings, but the car drove away. Officers found the car and saw a man, later identified as the driver, and Snell, the passenger, walking away from it.
Snell stopped and complied with the officers, while the driver ran away with Snell’s brown purse.
An officer chased the driver, who shot the officer several times, wounding him.
GFPD officer Tanner Lee’s bullet-resistant armor stopped the shots to the chest but his arm sustained serious injury. He underwent surgery and rehabilitation, and was released from the hospital on March 12.
The driver, Jacob Kane Bradley, was then confronted by another officer and was shot in the head. He was treated at Benefis Health System and later remanded into the custody of the Montana Department of Corrections.
Bradley has felony convictions for criminal endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, accountability for theft, and escape. Bradley was on parole from Yellowstone County at the time of the shooting.
During the chase and shooting, the driver dropped the purse. Officers recovered the purse and found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun inside.The handgun was a different firearm from the one used in the shooting.
Snell admitted that the recovered purse was hers and that she knew it contained the handgun. Snell had a federal felony conviction for assault and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
