Warrant issued for suspect in downtown deer shooting

A warrant was issued today for the arrest of a Whitefish man in connection with the January shooting of two deer near downtown Whitefish. Tarn Sandelin, 22, is expected to surrender to Whitefish Police later today.

Sandelin has been charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief, discharging a firearm within city limits and negligent endangerment. He also faces charges from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

If convicted, Sandelin faces up to a year in the Flathead County Jail and a $3,000 fine. Bond has been set at $2,000.

Sandelin allegedly shot two deer in a yard off of Baker Avenue near the Tailwaggers pet store at around 4 a.m. on Jan. 7. One of the deer was found dead the next morning in a yard downtown. The other was found injured on the grass in front of the Presbyterian Church on Central Avenue. That deer was later destroyed.

Six bullet holes penetrated a wall at Tailwaggers pet store on Third Street. One of the bullets went through the outside wall, a metal desk in a back office, then through a freezer and box of frozen dog bones. Another bullet traveled through the wall and bags of dog food before penetrating the back wall.

No one was injured in the incident.

Whitefish Police credit the warrant for Sandelin’s arrest to tips from a witness, Crime Stoppers and from information gathered at the crime scene.

Police Chief Bill Dial commended the community for their assistance in solving what he called a “senseless and extremely reckless crime.”