KOOTENAI — After a press release centered on a fatal Sunday shooting, the family of the man killed is raising questions about the legitimacy of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office public account of the incident.  

The family of Jason Leroy Sparks, the 50-year-old man who was shot and killed during an alleged altercation Sunday evening in Kootenai, has publicly announced their concerns with the press release that followed the dispute between Sparks and 21-year-old Shawn Webster.  

The BCSO released the press release Tuesday in conjunction with the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecutor’s office did not respond to inquiries about the press release from the Daily Bee.  

“Our family is deeply concerned that the initial public reporting surrounding Jason’s death has largely reflected one account of what occurred while the investigation is still ongoing,” read a statement submitted to The Bee by Jason’s brother, Kevin Sparks, on behalf of the Sparks family. “We fully respect the investigative process, and we are not asking anyone to reach conclusions before the evidence is complete. We simply believe the public deserves to know that there are significant unanswered questions, additional context and investigative facts that have not yet been presented publicly.” 

Family members allege sheriff’s officials have not yet interviewed two of the three children who witnessed the crime. One of those youth’s account of what happened does not match what was detailed in the press release.

BCSO officials noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing and, as a result, is unable to respond to any inquiries about the incident. 

The press release outlines specifics of the July 19 shooting, reporting that Sparks was at his ex-wife Ashley Sparks’ residence to help repair her vehicle, and entered Ashley’s residence “uninvited, acting in an aggressive manner” at around 6:58 p.m. 

Jason’s family noted that, despite what the press release said, a witness contends the man was allegedly allowed inside the house. According to the family, the witness noted that Sparks entered the house while Ashley and Webster were arguing and did not mention seeing Jason allegedly strangling Webster. 

At the time of the incident, the family alleges that Ashley shared the residence with her fiancé, Shawn Webster. The couple, according to Jason’s cousin, Trisha Combo, was set to be evicted from the house due to noise complaints, though an eviction notice could not be confirmed at the time of publishing by the Daily Bee.

The family also raised concerns about those interviewed — Ashley and Webster — and their closeness to the incident, one being the alleged shooter and the alleged shooter’s fiancé. The family also pointed out several Facebook posts made by Ashley, with her most recent post an hour-and-a-half before the incident, which read “i hope this all works out be a great change for me.”  

Though speculation, Sparks’ family shared concerns about the post, and what it could potentially mean for the investigation.  

“I just want the investigation to remain ongoing. If he was aggressive with the guy, and it truly comes down to self-defense, then we have to live with that. We’re not asking for any special treatment or anything,” Kevin said. “I don’t think it’s fair to him at all. If the investigation comes out that it wasn’t self-defense, are they going to retract [the statement]?” 

A statement from the family asks the public to keep an open mind until an investigation is complete. They said the Jason they knew wasn’t the man that has been portrayed in both the press release and certain media outlets, according to Combo.  

The Sparks family said they hope investigators will speak with all available witnesses and acquaintances of the individuals involved — and be open to additional information that may not have been shared with the public.  

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family of Jason to help with funeral and legal expenses. The account can be found at http://bit.ly/4pHOk5G.