Man from Billings accused with three counts of attempted murder

Billings, Montana – A Billings man was charged on Friday with three charges of attempted murder after allegedly shooting three individuals and causing “significant chaos in our community.”

Two days after being detained in Columbus, Darrell Colton Bryant, 39, appeared for arraignment in Yellowstone County District Court by video from the local jail.

After what looked to be a standoff on the Billings West End, which resulted in the closure of businesses and traffic on a busy city street, his arrest brought to an end a nearly day-long investigation by local law officials.

In connection with the incident early on Wednesday on West Meadow Drive, Bryant entered a not-guilty plea to three counts of attempted deliberate homicide. Bryant allegedly shot his wife, his teenage son, and his son’s friend inside a house, according to the prosecution.

In connection with a July 2021 incident in which Bryant, according to the prosecution, was shot in the chest by his youngest son while allegedly hitting his wife, Bryant was also charged on Friday with felony partner or family member assault.

According to a prosecutor, the charge was initially brought earlier this year but was postponed because the victim initially refused to comply. The adolescent was not given a charge in the incident.

After a prosecutor read a lengthy and comprehensive description of the Wednesday triple shooting incident from the charging documents, Judge Donald Harris set bond at $1.5 million concurrent on each case.

According to the prosecutor, Bryant has a history of violence and in this case, created “significant chaos in our community” and “tried to murder his wife, his 16-year-old son, and his son’s 18-year-old friend in the living room.”