Helena Man sentenced after foiled attack at Columbine-style school

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) – Logan Sea Pallister, 25, was sentenced this week in Great Falls federal court to seven and a half years in prison after it was discovered that he planned to carry out a Columbine-style attack in Helena. High school in 2022.

When he was arrested, Pallister had eight loaded firearms, some with high-capacity magazines, several pipe bombs and a large amount of ammunition in his vehicle.

The suspect was arrested as he prepared to carry out his attack

I spoke this week with Montana U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich about Pallister's conviction. He said Pallister was thwarted with only minutes to spare before he could carry out his plan.

“He was on point,” Laslovich began. “I don’t think people realize how close it was. we believe he intended to shoot up Helena High School in a Columbine-style attack and he had made pipe bombs and he had a lot of loaded guns.

Laslovich praised the woman who called Helena police

Laslovich highlighted the importance of Pallister's co-worker immediately contacting the Helena Police Department about his threats to attack the school.

“If it wasn't for the courage of a former colleague who worked with him when he bragged to her about his guns and told her what he planned to do in high school, we would have been talking about a different kind of prosecution and we would have There would have been far too many people dead.

Laslovich urged all of our listeners and website readers to keep their eyes and ears open in case they hear plans to commit a crime.

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Laslovich said: 'All hands on deck' to prevent crime

“It’s all hands on deck, Peter, and you’re absolutely right,” he said. “Your listeners need to know when they hear comments from people who threaten to harm others, whether it's just one person or, in this case, just randomly shooting people in school. They should not hesitate to speak to law enforcement.

Laslovich praised Helena authorities who managed to apprehend Pallister before he could carry out his plan.

“The work of our law enforcement partners, who did the job they did and got him taken away and handcuffed without anyone being hurt or killed, was miraculous,” he said. declared. “I’m really happy that he was recently sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison.”

Laslovich reminded me that in federal court, those convicted must serve their entire sentence without the possibility of parole.

Pallister will serve seven and a half years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.