Grand jury declines to indict man accused of Coeur d’Alene bar shooting

A grand jury declined to indict a 42-year-old man accused of injuring another man in a shooting at Corner Bar in Coeur d’Alene.

Following the grand jury’s decision, the case against Cory Hippenstiel was dismissed, according to court records.

Coeur d’Alene police officers responded to reports of a shooting at the bar, 1628 N. Fourth St., just before 8 p.m. on May 29. Officers found Brandon Burnette with gunshot wounds to his arm and abdomen.

Burnette and Hippenstiel were drinking at the bar when they began arguing and eventually went outside, where they got into a fight, according to investigators.

At one point in the fight, Hippenstiel allegedly went and got a handgun from his truck and shot Burnette, then waited for police to arrive, according to court documents.

A grand jury was convened in June and, after hearing evidence in the case, did not concur with prosecutors indicting Hippenstiel.

The case was subsequently dismissed.

Both Hippenstiel’s attorney and the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to request for comment.