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Court documents detail fatal Martin City shooting

Del Orrin Crawford
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KALISPELL - More details have been released in connection with a fatal shooting Saturday morning in Martin City.

Del Orrin Crawford, 40, of Kila is being held in the Kalispell jail on charges of Deliberate Homicide, Attempted Deliberate Homicide and Tampering with or Fabricating Physical Evidence.

Charging documents state that the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls regarding a shooting at the Southfork Saloon in Martin City at 1 a.m. on Saturday.

Deputies arrived on scene and observed Doug Crosswhite on the road in front of the bar with a tourniquet around his arm and a seal on his chest wound.

Deputies also saw 28-year-old Whisper Dawn Mari Sellars of Hungry Horse receiving CPR on the ground with a chest wound.

Sellars was pronounced dead on the scene while Crosswhite was taken to Logan Health in Kalispell for further medical treatment.

Witness Chelsea Bauska — who had been performing CPR on Whisper Sellars — was interviewed by law enforcement at the scene.

According to charging documents, Bauska reported the incident began when Crawford saw some people trying to start a golf cart outside of the bar and the situation escalated.

Bauska stated she tried to de-escalate the situation, but Crawford and Sellars got into an argument with pushing and shoving.

Bauska stated Crawford fired his gun hitting Sellars and Crosswhite.

Deputies spoke with another witness — Bradley Crosswhite — who stated Sellars, and Alicia Crosswhite were sitting on the golf cart taking pictures when they were confronted by Crawford.

Bradley Crosswhite stated that Crawford, Sellars and Alicia Crosswhite began to argue.

Bradley said Crawford pushed Sellars and Alicia Crosswhite. She said Doug Crosswhite pushed Crawford in response.

Bradley said Crawford fell backward, got up, pulled a handgun from his waistline, and began shooting.

Charging documents state Crawford told the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office over the phone he had fired his weapon in self-defense.

Crawford was located on South Fork Road and arrested.

Charging documents state that Crawford refused to tell law enforcement where the firearm was located, saying, "it was in a safe place and the officers would not find it.”

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.