Billings Vigilante Charged in Armed Citizen’s Arrest

The Billings man who attempted to stop a pair of shoplifters by shooting at their vehicle as they fled the Rimrock Mall in February is facing criminal charges.  30-year-old James Newman was charged last week in Billings Municipal Court with one count of criminal endangerment and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm.  Both charges are misdemeanors.

Billings police were called to the mall in February for the vigilante-style weapons complaint.  When authorities arrived, they found Newman in the parking lot outside the J.C. Penney’s entrance with his weapon placed on the ground.  Newman told police that he had observed a man and woman running out of the store and throwing items in the back of their vehicle.  KTVQ.com reports that he believed the items were stolen, so he attempted to make an armed citizen’s arrest.