Former Park Ranger Accuses Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy of Misrepresenting Shooting Incident

 

A former Montana park ranger has publicly accused Tim Sheehy, a Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat, of misrepresenting an incident in which he was shot. In a recent interview with the Washington Post, 67-year-old Kim Peach claimed that Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, accidentally shot himself during a family trip in Glacier National Park in 2015. This contradicts Sheehy's assertions that he was shot in combat while serving in Afghanistan.

Peach recounted that he met Sheehy at a local hospital following the 2015 incident, where Sheehy confirmed to him that the bullet wound in his arm was self-inflicted. Peach described Sheehy as being embarrassed yet relieved that the incident had not resulted in more severe consequences. He also examined Sheehy’s firearm that day and found a bullet casing, which corroborated his account of the accidental discharge. Peach subsequently issued a $525 fine to Sheehy for discharging a weapon in the national park, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.

This revelation has intensified scrutiny of Sheehy’s military narrative, which he has promoted during his Senate campaign. After Peach initially spoke out anonymously in April, several Republican figures revealed his identity, leading to harassment directed at him. Sheehy has defended himself by suggesting that he lied to Peach about the shooting to mask the possibility that the wound might have been inflicted during friendly fire in Afghanistan.

Sheehy’s spokesperson has labeled Peach as a Democrat, dismissing his allegations as a politically motivated attack. However, Peach emphasized that his motivation for coming forward was to challenge Sheehy’s misleading claims about his military service. “What is disgusting is saying a wound from a negligent, accidental firearm discharge is a wound received in combat,” Peach stated.

The outcome of Sheehy’s campaign is critical, as he is challenging incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester in a closely watched race that could impact the balance of power in the Senate after the November 5 presidential election.