More than a week after 21-year-old Preston Gregor was shot to death in the Billings Heights, his family says it knows little about what happened.
Gregor died of a single gunshot to the chest after a confrontation at approximately 11:35 p.m. on July 6.
Police were called to the scene for a disturbance and a report of someone being held at gunpoint, and found Gregor lying in the street with a bullet wound when they arrived. En route to the scene, they learned that someone had been shot.
The 52-year-old Billings man suspected of shooting Gregor was questioned by police and released. Gregor was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died.
Police believe Gregor had been drunk and walking in and out of traffic near the Town Pump on the 400 block of Main Street shortly before, based on a 911 call made from the convenience store.
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“It really didn’t make a whole lot of sense on what he was doing,” said Chad Gregor, Preston’s father.
A second 911 call roughly 10 minutes later reported that someone was being held at gunpoint. Police were called to the Samuel Court address, roughly a quarter of a mile away.
“I’ve gotten more information from reading the paper than I have from the investigators, the cops,” Chad Gregor said. “All we got told is, it’s still an ongoing investigation.”
Teara Iannucci, Gregor’s mother, said police have shared more information with her about the investigation but are asking her not to release it.
She said Gregor was in touch with some family members that night and that they had intended to go pick him up.
John Warner, who lives on the street parallel to Samuel Court, said he was in his backyard grilling a late night meal when the shooting took place. Warner, who is a former photographer at The Billings Gazette, said he heard a steady stream of directives to “drop it,” “get on your knees,” or to “get your hands up.”
Warner assumed the person speaking was a police officer. He said the person also said “I see it” or “I see you” several times. Warner's view was blocked by a row of homes behind his.
He said he didn’t hear what led up to the directives and didn’t hear any response to them. He said the man issued directives continuously in a “forceful yet professional” tone.
“They sounded just like any video you’ve ever heard of a police officer trying to de-escalate a situation,” Warner said.
He estimated it lasted for at least two minutes before he heard a gunshot.
“The man didn’t have a hair trigger,” Warner said.
Police won’t say if Gregor was armed, whether the shooter has law enforcement experience as Warner believed or whether the shooter is asserting self-defense claims. Lt. Brandon Wooley said those are confidential criminal justice details police are withholding to protect the investigation and ensure due process.
The homicide remains under investigation and will be referred to the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office for review when it’s complete.
Chad Gregor said his son did not personally own firearms and that the family's hunting rifles were locked up at Chad Gregor's house. He said his son didn’t carry a pocket knife.
Gregor worked at Bear Paw Outfitters Manufacturing, a new business in Lockwood. The owners are family friends and hired him on in April, according to CEO Dakota Botts. Gregor had worked at the Bull Mountain Grille but was losing income as restaurants closed due to COVID-19, so Botts took him on as a sewer. Botts said he was a quick learner.
They closed the manufacturing business for a day when they learned that Gregor had been killed. Botts said Gregor was well liked by the company’s nine employees.
Gregor was born and raised in Billings. He didn’t graduate but did attend Skyview High School, as well as Lockwood Middle School. He lived with his grandparents at their home in the Heights, roughly a mile from where he was shot.
Gregor had been both nervous and excited about an upcoming court date, according to his family. He was looking forward to a hearing in Miles City after which he anticipated he’d gain custody of his four-year-old son.
“That’s all he talked about,” Botts, his boss, said.
Iannucci, Gregor’s mother, said Gregor had also gotten a raise at work recently and had learned how to operate more complicated equipment.
“I saw him on Sunday and he was just so proud of everything that was going on in his life,” Iannucci said.
Gregor’s parents and grandparents now hope to be approved to take the four-year-old boy into their care.
Gregor's dad said he was still struggling to deal with the loss of his son.
"Everybody says, you know, take it day by day," Chad Gregor said. "But I’m just going hour by hour, minute by minute."
Gregor's death was the eighth homicide in Yellowstone County in 11 weeks.