Plea change in shooting

RIVERTON (WNE) — The man who accidentally shot and killed his friend last year in Riverton has pleaded no contest to manslaughter.

Keith Sack, 23, of Riverton, entered the plea during a change-of-plea hearing Jan. 31.

His sentencing date is yet to be scheduled, pending review of a pre-sentence investigation report ordered by the judge in the case.

District court staff said Sack’s no-contest plea also will be accepted or rejected pending review of the pre-sentence investigation.He initially was charged with involuntary manslaughter after shooting Levi King, 19, on March 12, 2018, at a house on East Pine Street.

Published reports indicated that Sack, Wyatt LeClair and Nicholas Taufen had been drinking beer and “dry firing” an unloaded Ruger Precision rifle at the time.

King also was present, but toxicology testing later showed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system.

When the rifle was set aside, King loaded a magazine into the gun, according to published reports; Sack later picked up the gun and pulled the trigger, fatally shooting King in the left temple.

Witnesses at the scene said Sack was shocked that the gun was loaded.

Riverton Police Department detective Dan Ladd said Sack ran outside after the shooting and “made a statement about wanting to kill himself” and “wasn’t sure how he would tell the family.

Sack briefly fled the scene before returning after police arrived, according to published reports; he was released on bond during the prosecution and has been allowed by the court to travel out of state for work.