KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges alleging he killed the manager of a Kalispell fitness center after the manager told him he could no longer live in his car in the parking lot.
Jonathan Shaw, 35, pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide for the Sept. 16 death of Matt Hurley, 27, outside Fuel Fitness, NBC Montana reported.
Shaw also pleaded not guilty to attempted deliberate homicide for shooting at William Keck, a customer who grabbed his weapon out of his vehicle and ordered Shaw to drop his gun. Keck returned fire, badly injuring Shaw, who was booked into jail nearly two weeks after the shooting.
Shaw appeared in court in a wheelchair. He remains jailed with his bail set at $1 million. Shaw’s next court hearing is set for Jan. 19.
Assistant Fuel Fitness manager Matthew Underhill said he and Hurley had gone to Shaw’s car to tell him he couldn’t live in the parking lot and to refund him the remainder of his fitness center membership. Underhill said Shaw demanded more money and when that was denied Shaw responded: “Well, you’re going to die,” and opened fire.
Underhill said he was able to run back into the fitness center.