The Montana law at issue makes it permissible for residents to use force on their property if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent an assault. The homeowner, who is relying on that law for his defense, was notified of the student’s presence in the garage by a motion sensor that the homeowner had placed on his property after two recent burglaries.
He killed the student, who was "garage hopping," by firing his shotgun into the dark. Garage hopping is a term used to describe when individuals rove from garage to garage, sneaking or breaking in and stealing beer, food, and other supplies before moving to the next garage.