Cops say booze fueled party that injured 3

Authorities say they know what was involved in a party that sent three young men to the hospital early Saturday morning: booze, a bonfire and guns.

But the sheer number of people at the party near Garwood – estimated at 50 to 70 young adults and minors – has made it hard to sort out what happened before shots were fired just before 2 a.m.

“There are a lot of interviews to do,” Kootenai County sheriff’s Lt. Kim Edmondson said Monday. “In this case, it’s not a real clear-cut deal.”

Initial reports said three people were hit by pellets from a shotgun, resulting in minor injuries. Officials clarified that later, saying two people were struck by pellets.

Zachary Cirrincione, 21, and Brack Adkins, 19, suffered minor abrasions. Adkins also received injuries in a fight, police said. Matthew Rycraft, 18, also was injured in a fight. All three were treated at Kootenai Medical Center and released.

When deputies responded to the party just south of Garwood, they found that several people had been fighting and that a knife and at least two firearms were involved.

Edmondson said the party was at a home down a long driveway off U.S. Highway 95. She said it wasn’t clear whether the person who owns the property was home or if the home is a rental.

No arrests have been made, and the incident is under investigation.

“It was kids drinking and getting out of hand,” Edmondson said. “That was the biggest part of the problem: young adults that were drinking, and there were several fights, and they just happened to have guns around.”