2003 Ennis shooting

Mass shooting in Montana, U.S. December 2025 February 2025 2003 Ennis shooting 2003ennisshooting.jpg Footage of the shootout between Davis and officer Hildenstab. Davis is positioned behind the rear bumper of his sedan, aiming at Hildenstab. Madison County, Montana, U.S. Bystanders outside a bar in Ennis, responding law enforcement officers 2003 06 14 UTC−07:00 Mass shooting shootout 1 (Jamie Roberts) 10 (8 by gunfire, including the perpetrator) George Harold Davis .45 caliber M1911 semi-automatic pistol The 2003 Ennis shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on June 14, 2003, when 44-year-old George Harold Davis opened fire on a group of people outside a bar in downtown Ennis, in Madison County, Montana, then engaged police officers in a high-speed chase and shootout. Davis killed one man and injured six other bystanders at the bar.http://www.rubyvalley.com/news/shooter-sentenced.html Virginia City, Montana > Ennis shooter gets life without chance of parole Backus Perry August 29, 2004 March 27, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143028/http://www.rubyvalley.com/news/shooter-sentenced.html June 12, 2018 He was then chased by a sheriff's deputy and highway patrol officer. The chase terminated on the Idaho/Montana state border. Davis was arrested and sentenced to eleven life terms, the longest prison sentence in Montana state history.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXhptSKM8Wg World's Most Amazing Videos - Montana Police Chase and Shootout March 7, 2021 March 7, 2021 YouTube The chase and shootout were captured on dashboard cameras installed within the two pursuing patrol vehicles.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaOT7kwCnZw Under Fire 1.0.2 May 26, 2013 March 27, 2016 YouTube Events Mass shooting In the early hours of the morning, around 2 a.m., on Saturday, June 14, 2003, 44-year-old George Harold Davis drank alone at the Silver Dollar Saloon bar, on Main Street in Ennis, Madison County, Montana. After buying multiple alcoholic beverages and getting heavily intoxicated, Davis got more and more frustrated and was unable to pay for the drinks. Another patron, Michael Carroll, paid Davis' tab, hoping he would leave. Davis left the bar and walked over to his car, a gold Ford Taurus, which was parked just outside. He retrieved a .45 semi-automatic pistol from the vehicle and then opened fire on people outside the bar. He seriously injured six people (including Carroll) and fatally shot 27-year-old Jamie Roberts. After the shooting, Davis fled the scene in his car and drove for nearly 200 miles toward Ravalli County, Montana.Smith Ericka June 20, 2003 Night of drinking preceded rampage, affidavit states Missoulian https://missoulian.com/news/local/night-of-drinking-preceded-rampage-affidavit-states/article_e9c869dc-20a6-5ca3-ae05-3bf02d312f1f.html August 22, 2021Chaney Rob September 16, 2004 Man sentenced to life for 2003 rampage Billings Gazette https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/man-sentenced-to-life-for-2003-rampage/article_16be3b39-0046-5361-a9a8-217cac4455d0.html August 22, 2021 Police chase and shootout At around 8 a.m. Ravalli County Sheriff Deputy Bernie Allestad spotted Davis speeding on U.S. Highway 93. Allestad pulled over Davis, who immediately leaped out of his vehicle and opened fire on Allestad. Allestad returned fire but was shot in the shoulder and became badly wounded. Davis was also hit in the abdomen during the brief shootout, but he managed to escape and speed away.http://ravallirepublic.com/news/article_54459540-0995-5d7a-a7a6-216108960f32.html Hometown hero:Shoot-out survivor recounts life-threatening experience TIMOTHY MITCHELL Staff Reporter October 6, 2004 Ravalli Republic March 27, 2016 Davis entered Missoula County, Montana, where he encountered Missoula County sheriff deputy David Conway and tried to run him off the road in a head-on collision. Conway dodged avoided colliding with Davis and pursued him. Montana Highway Patrol officer Jason Hildenstab also joined in the pursuit. Hildenstab took the lead and chased after Davis at speeds of 100 miles an hour. Davis drove towards the Idaho border in an attempt to lose the police. Hildenstab had not had time to fill up with gas for the day when he was called to respond. As Hildenstab approached Davis' car to potentially ram him, Davis slammed on his brakes and Hildenstab rear-ended the vehicle. Davis spun his vehicle around, exited his car, crouched behind his rear bumper and opened fire on Hildenstab with his .45 semi-automatic pistol. Hildenstab returned fire from the rear of his patrol vehicle. Conway then arrived and opened fire with a 12-gauge shotgun. Upon Conway's arrival, Davis fled the scene. Hildenstab's patrol vehicle became disabled and began releasing smoke, as it had been badly shot up by Davis during the shootout. Hildenstab abandoned his wrecked car and both he and Conway chased after Davis in Conway's patrol vehicle. Conway and Hildenstab pursued Davis westbound along U.S. Highway 12 towards the Idaho border. U.S. Army veteran and 25-year veteran Idaho state trooper Stan Wiggins Sr., who was accompanied by a game warden, was then informed by Conway to set up spike strips on the highway to stop Davis from escaping. Wiggins carried out the instruction and Davis drove directly over the spike strips. His vehicle came to a stop and Davis opened the door of his car. As he did, Conway accelerated his patrol vehicle towards Davis. Davis opened fire at the patrol vehicle as it approached him. Conway charged his vehicle at Davis at 60 miles an hour and rammed into the side of the car. Davis was injured and dropped his handgun during the collision and Hildenstab broke his leg. Both Conway and Hildenstab survived, as did Davis. Davis was arrested by Conway, Wiggins and the game warden, who rushed over to his car after the crash. Davis was too badly injured to resist arrest. When he was in custody, he casually asked Conway, "Did you guys have fun?", referring to the chase and gunfight. Conway replied, "Was it fun to you?" and Davis just said it was "a rush." As he was led to the police car, he said that he wished the officers had killed him in the crash.http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/ennis-killer-gets-life-term-without-chance-of-parole/article_543459ac-c124-5cd5-a471-dcb90f128bc2.html Ennis killer gets life term without chance of parole Perry Backus Montana Standard August 28, 2004 The Billings Gazette March 27, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20201018093709/http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/ennis-killer-gets-life-term-without-chance-of-parole/article_543459ac-c124-5cd5-a471-dcb90f128bc2.html October 18, 2020 Victims Jamie L. Roberts, a 27-year-old construction worker of Ennis, was the only fatality of Davis's shooting spree.http://mtstandard.com/news/local/obituaries/jamie-roberts/article_11d1da1a-1a5f-5b35-88e1-f94e562c4f8f.html Jamie Roberts, 27, Obituary Montana Standard June 15, 2003 April 23, 2016 Six other bystanders were injured outside the bar in Ennis. All of the casualties were out of the hospital by July 3, 2003. Ginger Powers – Shot twice through the stomach. Michael Carroll – Shot in his pancreas. Matt Ortega – Hit by a bullet in his spleen. Isaiah Crowley – Shot four times in the attack. Tret Sutter – Shot through the right thigh. Gavin Faulkner – Suffered gunshot wounds to a hand and right leg.Nick Gevock July 3, 2003 Ennis shooting victims all out of hospital http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/ennis-shooting-victims-all-out-of-hospital/article_ced88db6-821f-5883-90a8-db8c5d568408.html https://archive.today/20250602150555/https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/ennis-shooting-victims-all-out-of-hospital/article_ced88db6-821f-5883-90a8-db8c5d568408.html June 2, 2025 April 23, 2016 Bozeman Daily ChronicleWriter KELLYN BROWN, Chronicle Staff 2003-06-19 Suspect charged in shooting rampage: Affidavit details Ennis murder https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/suspect-charged-in-shooting-rampage-affidavit-details-ennis-murder/article_e7f0551a-cad3-504e-a2cb-d25debc7c3d0.html https://archive.today/20250602145518/https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/suspect-charged-in-shooting-rampage-affidavit-details-ennis-murder/article_e7f0551a-cad3-504e-a2cb-d25debc7c3d0.html June 2, 2025 2025-06-02 Bozeman Daily Chronicle en Perpetrator George Davis File:georgeharolddavis.jpg Mugshot of George Davis George Harold Davis yes 1958 6 20 Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S. Perpetrator of the Ennis shooting Incarcerated at Saguaro Correctional Center 11 life sentences without possibility of parole Deliberate homicideAttempted deliberate homicide (10 counts) George Harold Davis (born June 20, 1958)http://www.policestar.com/kimery/other%20offenders/Davis/montanaDOCdavis.htm Montana Department of Corrections Correctional Offender Information Sheet March 27, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140233/http://www.policestar.com/kimery/other%20offenders/Davis/montanaDOCdavis.htm June 12, 2018 dead was identified as the man responsible for the shooting rampage in Ennis. He was a proponent of white supremacy and anti-Semitism. He was also a trained killer and a paramilitary veteran, who had served as a mercenary in Nicaragua.Episode 511 - Revenge Of The K9s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecSyUXcizG4&t=2153s World's Wildest Police Videos July 30, 2012 5 11 Davis was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, and moved to Washington in the early 1990s. Prior to the shooting, Davis had only recently moved to the Ennis area from Washington. At the time of his shooting spree in Ennis, Davis worked as a ranch hand on a nearby ranch. Davis had also worked as a carpet installer in Washington throughout the 1990s.http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/racism-and-drugs-linked-to-ennis-slaying-suspect/article_ef910532-4a11-5c02-bebe-f2e8d11355cf.html Racism and drugs linked to Ennis slaying suspect The Billings Gazette 21 June 2003 July 18, 2016 Davis had a prior criminal history on record.https://app.mt.gov/conweb/ Offender Information Montana Interactive March 27, 2016 Between 1994 and 1997, Davis received four separate restraining orders in Olympia, Washington, including one for harassing a staff member of the newspaper The Olympian. He reportedly wrote a letter to an Olympian reporter, saying the newspaper was a "criminal organization which was psychologically controlled by the Jews" and that "only white supremacism can save nature's finest." Davis also sent them a newsletter from the neo-Nazi group, National Alliance, which said, "We must halt the flow of Third World immigrants across our borders, and we must take whatever other steps are necessary to reclaim our cities from the hordes of non-Whites who have invaded them during the past 50 years." A woman from the Washington area with whom Davis had tried to start a relationship claimed to have received neo-Nazi literature from him at her work and home address. She also got a restraining order against Davis at the time.http://archive.adl.org/learn/news/montana_shooting.html#.VvfgSfkrKM8 Montana Shooting Spree Suspect Has Racist Past March 27, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160318100739/http://archive.adl.org/learn/news/montana_shooting.html#.VvfgSfkrKM8 March 18, 2016 dead Aftermath Davis was arrested and sentenced to eleven life terms, the longest prison sentence in Montana state history. He will never be released from prison and is not eligible for parole. The reason for his rampage remains unclear. One possibility is because of a sudden medication withdrawal. Davis said he abruptly stopped taking the antidepressant drug Paxil in the days leading up to the shooting. His defense attorney Ed Sheehy Jr. argued that heavy drinking and withdrawals from the drug led to the initial shooting. But prosecutors argued that Davis was unrepentant for his crimes and was simply looking for excuses for his actions. Madison County Attorney Bob Zenker described Davis as evil, a racist, and a cop hater. He argued that Davis could not blame his crimes on medication and alcohol. Davis had no clear answer to why he carried out the rampage and claimed that he could not recall any of his actions on that specific day.http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/George-Harold-Davis-46-antidep-withdrawal.htm The Bozeman Daily Chronicle March 27, 2016 He is currently imprisoned in Montana State Prison. The chase and shootout with Davis was recorded by dashboard cameras installed within Conway and Hildenstab's patrol vehicles. The footage has been widely reported in the media and has been shown on many television documentaries, including: World's Most Amazing Videos, Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol, Hot Pursuit,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2yFbK06-Fc Hot Pursuit - Montana Police Chase and Shootout March 8, 2021 March 8, 2021 YouTube Police In Pursuits, World's Wildest Police Videos, 16×9 and Under Fire.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3q11vNwKDE Under Fire March 5, 2009 March 27, 2016 YouTube See also 2011 Grand Rapids shootings 2025 Anaconda shooting Kirkwood City Council shooting Brian Nichols 2005 Tyler courthouse shooting References Category:2003 deaths Category:2003 in Montana Category:2003 mass shootings in the United States Category:2003 murders in the United States Category:Attacks in the United States in 2003 Category:Attacks on bars in the United States Category:Crime in Montana Category:Deaths by firearm in Montana Category:June 2003 crimes in the United States Category:Madison County, Montana Category:Mass shootings in Montana Category:Murder in Montana Category:People murdered in Montana Category:Spree shootings in the United States Category:Mass shootings involving semi-automatic pistols in the United States