Teen shot, killed in man's garage was from Germany

MISSOULA (AP) — A 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed over the weekend by a Montana man who said the teen had broken into his garage was a foreign exchange student from Germany, authorities said.

Police in Missoula arrested a man on suspicion of deliberate homicide in the death of Diren Dede of Hamburg, Germany. Dede was a junior at Big Sky High School in Missoula, Missoula Public Schools officials said.

Officers responded to the reported shooting just before 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Markus Kaarma, 29, told officers he found an intruder in his garage after an alarm went off, and he shot him with a shotgun. Dede later died of his injuries.

Under Montana's "castle doctrine," a person is allowed to use deadly force against an intruder if the person believes he may be harmed.

It will be up to the county attorney's office to determine whether Kaarma will face criminal charges, Sgt. Travis Welsh said. He added that officers would not arrest someone without probable cause that a crime had been committed.

Kaarma remained jailed Monday morning.

The shooting is still under investigation.

The staff and administration at Big Sky High School will provide grief support for students.