WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — Meagher County Sheriff Jon Lopp said in a social media post on Sunday that Meagher County Attorney Burt Hurwitz will not file criminal charges related to the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy on October 29, 2025.
The decision follows an investigation conducted by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Meagher County Sheriff’s Office.
The press release said three juvenile males were staying in a bunkhouse in a rural area north of White Sulphur Springs on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Sometime after 8:00 pm, a 15-year-old juvenile male began to work on a .22 single-action revolver. The teen told investigators he was going to clean the weapon, believing the weapon was unloaded. However, one chamber contained a live round. As the teen handled the revolver, it discharged, and the 16-year-old victim was shot below the left eye.
At 8:34 p.m., Meagher County 911 received a report of an accidental gunshot wound, and Meagher County Sheriff’s Deputies and Meagher County Ambulance were dispatched to the address.
The 15-year-old’s father began CPR and lifesaving efforts continued until the ambulance reached Mountainview Medical Center, but all efforts to save the 16-year-old’s life were unsuccessful.
Lopp said the 15-year-old and his family fully cooperated with law enforcement at every step. The sheriff contacted the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation immediately to assist with the investigation and DCI agents and Meagher County Deputies worked through the night to interview all witnesses and process all evidence.
According the the press release, the victim’s family spoke with law enforcement and the County Attorney and requested that no criminal charges be filed. The two juvenile males were not related but were close friends and the families are also close.
"In arriving at the decision, the County Attorney considered many factors including the difficulty of proving negligent or criminal intent beyond a reasonable doubt, the age of the Juvenile, and most importantly, the wishes of the victim’s family," said the social media post from the Meagher County Sheriff's Office.
"This is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved, especially for the two families and our entire community," said County Attorney Hurwitz in a statement. “I have conducted a comprehensive review, and I believe the evidence does not support criminal prosecution. I have also given significant weight to the expressed wishes of the victim’s family, who have requested compassion and closure rather than criminal action.”
The County Attorney's Office said they will not release any further details regarding the identities of those involved or the specifics of the investigation out of respect for the families' privacy and the sensitive nature of the case.
