17-Year-Old Held After Shot Fired

Gunfire ended a fight between teenagers early Thursday in a neighborhood southeast of downtown, and police arrested a 17-year-old boy suspected of being the gunman.

A 16-year-old girl, who allegedly drove the boy from the fight, also was arrested as an accomplice. Police did not release the names of either teen because of their ages. Both were booked into juvenile detention.

Officers said they were called about 1:10 a.m. to a report of shots fired during a fight in the 200 block of S. 10th St. Witnesses told police the alleged gunman had been yelling at a group of people about being ripped off when the fight started.

Ty Birchfield, 18, told police the teen pointed a chrome handgun at his throat when he asked him to leave. Another person, who was not identified, pulled the gun-toting teen away from Birchfield. A third, also not identified, punched the teen and knocked him to the ground.

Witnesses said the teen with the gun responded by pointing the pistol at the head of the boy who punched him. He then fired a shot into the air and left in a car.

A Kootenai County sheriff’s dog caught the teen a few minutes later on Atlas Road. He was treated at Kootenai Medical Center for dog bites to his left leg and arrested on a charge of aggravated assault.

Police arrested the girl nearby.