Missoula Officer Draws Pistol On Axe-wielding Man at McDonald’s

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On August 7, 2026, shortly before 2:00 p.m., a Missoula Police Department officer was dispatched to a disturbance at McDonald’s located at 1565 Liberty Lane. The reporting party, an employee, explained that a male was holding an axe in his hands, yelling threats at employees, and throwing his axe around. The employee stated that McDonald’s went into lockdown due to the male’s behavior.  

The male was last seen walking eastbound towards Russell Street on Liberty Lane. The officer arrived on scene and observed several individuals in the parking lot, including the employee. She explained that she was approached by a customer who stated that there was a male pacing back and forth with a hatchet, which was making the customer uncomfortable.  

The employee then walked out to the parking lot and asked the male to leave the property. The employee told the male that he was making customers feel uncomfortable. “He then threatened me with the hatchet and said he’ll throw this s**t at me”.  

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Intimidation in the Parking Lot: Witness Accounts

At that point, other employees came out to the parking lot. The male then walked away but turned back around. When he turned around, he threw the hatchet into the bushes. He then approached the employees and was trying to get the employees to fight him. The employee said the male had “a lot going on” and “he is very angry”. The employee further explained she was “extremely scared” because the male was “screaming very angrily.”  

Then the officer began speaking with the general manager, who spotted the male suspect right as the conversation began. The male that the manager pointed out was holding a blue and silver axe and began yelling and walking toward the officer. The officer drew his duty pistol and gave the male instructions to drop the axe. The male dropped the axe and was placed in handcuffs without incident, stating that “this is f****** insane” and that he was “jamming to music and then all of a sudden there’s a bunch of people pointing and f***** following me, man.”  

READ MORE: Missoula News - Crime Reports

The male suspect continued to explain that he never hurt anybody. The male then identified himself as 38-year-old Isaiah Vickers-Butler. After Isaiah was detained, the officer returned to interviewing the witnesses while other officers remained with Isaiah. 

The officer confirmed with the employee that she was scared during this incident. The employee stated, “Yes. I genuinely felt like he was going to throw that axe. Genuinely at any second.”  

Isaiah was placed under arrest and transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. Isaiah is currently being charged with felony assault with a weapon. His bond was set at $25,000. 

Previous Encounters with Law Enforcement: A Troubling Record

Once the officer returned to the police station, he conducted a review of Isaiah’s local history over the past two months. He discovered the following: 

• On 08/07/2026, Isaiah approached a Parks and Rec employee and “got riled up and yelling,” stating that he is constantly being poisoned.  

• On 08/02/2026, Isaiah called dispatch and reported that he was possibly dosed with Fentanyl. He stated that a male and a female on a bike drove by him and threw Fentanyl at him. Isaiah stated that “this happens all the time”. 

• On 07/26/2026, Isaiah was called in because he was brandishing a knife while on a bicycle in a parking lot of a gas station. 

• On 07/23/2026, Isaiah was called in because he “got into caller’s boyfriend’s face and threatened him.” Isaiah told the boyfriend that “he would beat his ass and fuck him up”. The caller stated that the male seemed very intoxicated and was possibly on methamphetamine. 

• On 07/16/2026, Isaiah requested an ambulance because he was exposed to Fentanyl and was “freaking out”. Officers on scene stated, “male gave himself two Narcan and is acting erratic”. Isaiah also admitted to officers that he had smoked methamphetamine the night before. 

• On 06/06/2026, Isaiah was called in because he was being disorderly at the bus depot. Dispatch could hear him yelling in the background. During this call, officers added officer safety information to Isaiah’s information, stating that he is confrontational with law enforcement. 

• On 06/06/2026, Isaiah was called in by employees of the Travel America truck stop for refusing to leave after being asked to leave multiple times. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.