2 found dead after traffic stop

A traffic stop of a sport utility vehicle with Oregon plates in Kalispell Wednesday night ended with a bizarre twist when the vehicle fled and was later stopped again and approached by authorities, who found the male and female occupants dead from apparent gunshot wounds.

According to a news release, an officer with the Kalispell Police Department first stopped the vehicle around 9:45 p.m. on U.S. 93 just north of West Reserve Drive. The officer made contact briefly with a man and woman in the vehicle, called for backup and the vehicle fled the scene, followed by a brief pursuit, the news release said.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office also responded and the vehicle was “stop sticked” with tire deflation devices and slowly exited the roadway near Bowdish Road, police reported.

“After attempts to deliver verbal commands, officers approached the vehicle to discover both occupants deceased from what are initially believed to be gunshot wounds,” the news release said.

Officers did not fire their weapons, according to the release.

The identities of the occupants of the vehicle had not been released as of Thursday afternoon, police said. Both will be taken to the Montana State Crime Lab in Missoula for further examination.

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said both people weren’t recognized by local law enforcement officers.

The Sheriff’s Office is still investigating.