The man shot and killed in Marion early Sunday has been identified by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office as 60-year-old Harold Gordon.

The shooting occurred at about 1:45 a.m. outside a duplex owned by Gordon, who lived in one of the units while the wife of the alleged shooter, 52-year-old Mark Ames, lived in the residence next door.

Ames allegedly fired “multiple rounds” from an AK-47 rifle into Gordon’s house. 

When Gordon came outside, armed with a shotgun, Ames allegedly shot him once in the chest with a .32 caliber handgun, Undersheriff Dave Leib said.

Gordon did not fire his shotgun, Leib said. Gordon was transported to Kalispell Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Leib said the two men had a history of altercations.

“I know that Mr. Gordon had a restraining order against Mark Ames in Montana, and Mark Ames had a restraining order against Mr. Gordon in Washington,” Leib said, adding that he did not know the nature of the dispute between the two men.

Ames was arrested shortly after the incident and was initially being held on a deliberate homicide charge in the Flathead County Detention Center. The Flathead County Attorney’s Office had not received investigative reports on the shooting as of Monday afternoon.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].