Man charged with shooting another man on the way to a wake

Editor’s note: This version corrects that Zamora made an initial appearance and waived an initial hearing.

Moses Zamora of Rocky Boy, born in 1984, made an initial appearance in federal District Court in Great Falls and waived an initial hearing on charges stemming from accusations he shot a man while the man was talking to some people while on his way to a wake.

Zamora pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of assault with intent to commit murder and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Zamora remained in custody pending further hearings.

In a court document, an investigating FBI agent said he received a call from Rocky Boy Police Department at about 1:16 a.m. Sept. 25 saying a shooting had occurred and police were in pursuit of a suspect.

He stayed in contact with the officers in pursuit and was told it ended in a remote area on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

The victim, identified as John Doe, was taken to a local hospital and then life-flighted to Great Falls, the document said.

A witness told the agent that a group was standing around talking when John Doe arrived, on his way to a wake. The witness and the victim spoke for a while, the witness said, then Zamora drove up in the white Dodge truck in which he was later apprehended.

The witness said Zamora told him to get out of the way quickly, then the witness heard three pops as Zamora shot John Doe and then drove away.

Rocky Boy officers told the agent they spotted the suspect vehicle

The document said officers reported they had located the vehicle and, while waiting for backup to arrive, Zamora fled the scene. Officers pursued and eventually apprehended Zamora.

The agent said he found drugs, paraphernalia and shell casings in the vehicle.