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Airman shot dead at party posthumously promoted

A 20-year-old airman who was fatally shot in the abdomen at a party was posthumously promoted to airman first class Wednesday, a spokesman for Malmstrom Air Force Base said.

John Howry, a native of Silverdale, Wash., was scheduled for the promotion later this month, 1st Lt. Justin Brockhoff said.

Jonathon Higgins, who served with Howry in the 341st Space Wing Security Forces Squadron, made his initial appearance in a Cascade County district courtroom Tuesday afternoon on a charge of negligent homicide, a felony, in Howry’s death. He appeared by video from the Cascade County Detention Center, where he was being held on $25,000 bail.

Negligent homicide is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

At about 7:30 p.m. Monday, police responded to a 911 report that a person had been shot at 1715 3rd Ave. S. Officers found Howry with a gunshot wound to his lower right abdomen.

According to court documents, a witness told police the two men were “goofing around” at a party Monday evening when Howry took out a knife and jokingly said he was going to “shave” Higgins.

The witness said Higgins, 22, pulled a .40-caliber handgun from his waistband and fired, according to the documents. Howry died a short time later at a hospital.

Higgins received the Purple Heart and the Air Force Combat Action Medal in February. He earned the awards in April 2007, when an improvised explosive device struck the Humvee in which he was riding. His injuries included second-degree burns and shrapnel in his right calf.

During Higgins’ medal ceremony in February, 341st Space Wing Commander Col. Sandra Finan called Higgins “an American hero” and “a phenomenal airman.”

“We train to be safe in all we do both on and off duty, but sadly, incidents like this can still happen,” 341st Space Wing Vice Commander Col. Paul Gydesen said in a statement. “We will continue to cooperate fully with the Great Falls Police Department so the facts of this incident can be determined accurately and the investigation can be completed.”

Molly Beck, who lives next to the house where the shooting happened, said she and her husband, Kevin, didn’t think much of it when they heard a loud bang Monday evening. They’d heard a starting pistol going off at a Great Falls High School track meet, just a couple of blocks away, all afternoon.

Only when Kevin Beck walked outside to go to the store did they realize the last shot wasn’t a blank.

“It was surprising when [Kevin] came in and said what was going on, literally in the backyard,” Molly Beck said.

Howry’s parents traveled to Great Falls and met with service members who knew their son.

“I was in the Navy SEALs for 20 years. I’ve seen a lot of things,” John Howry Sr. said. “I’ve seen friends die. But to lose your own son, I can’t describe.”