What those details illuminate are a difficult life lived in both light and dark, with kindness and distrust, in what appeared to be poverty but may have been chosen homelessness.
Even his name is something of a mystery. In numerous criminal cases filed against him over the past decade, he was known as Gregory Ray Ramsey. But after his death, officers found a Montana state identification card that showed his last name as Greg Baumann.
That's what his stepsister, Dot Keller, called him years ago, although her father, George Baumann, said he never formally adopted Greg.
George Baumann eventually divorced Greg's mother, but Greg lived with George Baumann for years and moved to Missoula after George Baumann came here in 1986.
“I wanted to adopt him, but his mother wouldn't let me,” said George Baumann. “She didn't want anything good to happen for that boy.”
Baumann/Ramsey had been homeless for years, but he had a Social Security disability that paid him $1,000 a month.
“For a long time, he had a truck with a camper that he slept in,” George Baumann said. “But he had such an authority problem that even having a truck put him in conflict.”
In fact, Baumann/Ramsey often argued that he had a “right” to drive and didn't need a driver's license.
Although he had constant run-ins with law enforcement - the fact that he was wanted on two warrants precipitated the Sunday morning showdown that left him dead - he also was well-known at the Missoula Food Bank, where he volunteered for years.
“There was a kind side to him that I think people should know about,” said fellow volunteer Michael Kreisberg. “If you just let him do the work, he could be a wonderful person.”
Missoula law enforcement officials remain silent on the details of the shooting. The Missoula County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death because Missoula police officers were involved, but Hintz has said that only the county attorney can talk about the investigation.
So far, that hasn't happened.
The Missoulian has pieced together some of the particulars through law enforcement sources and family members, but hasn't learned the names of the officers involved in the shooting.
Those officers are on administrative leave pending the investigation and required sessions with a mental health professional.
Early on Sunday, Baumann/Ramsey was asleep behind a bench on the trail that winds through the park just east of Orange Street on the south side of the Clark Fork River.
A police officer on patrol spotted his Trek mountain bike and stopped. The officer found Ramsey/Baumann wrapped in North Face sleeping bags and checked his identification. Running his name through 9-1-1 produced two warrants for failure to appear in Justice Court.
Because of the warrants, the officer prepared to arrest Baumann/Ramsey, who became belligerent.
At least two other officers and eventually a supervisor arrived to back up the initial officer.
“What the sheriff told me is that Greg started shouting that he wasn't going to jail and wasn't going back into the court system,” said George Baumann. “I know he wouldn't have wanted that to happen.”
One officer apparently considered using a Taser on Ramsey/Baumann, but he was down behind the bench, which made access tough. Another officer then used pepper spray on him, but Ramsey/Baumann could not be subdued.
In the midst of the disturbance, Ramsey/Baumann pulled a semiautomatic .45-caliber pistol from his sleeping bag and fired a shot.
George Baumann said he was first told that the shot was fired into the air, but later learned the shot was fired in the direction of officers.
“It surprises me that he would try to shoot someone, but it doesn't surprise me that maybe he wanted them to shoot him,” said George Baumann. “I do think this is probably a case of suicide by cop, although I guess we'll never really know.”
After the first shot, Ramsey/Baumann's gun jammed, but two officers were already firing on him, striking him numerous times in the chest. Even the park bench he was sleeping behind has bullet holes in it.
Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir said he believes his officers acted within the law and department policy during the shooting.
And Ramsey/Baumann's family members said they felt sympathy for the officers who encountered him that night.
“The thing with the weapons doesn't surprise me,” said Dot Keller, who now lives in South Dakota. “A lot of people who live on the streets are armed, and that makes it very difficult when police have to have contact with them. It's tragic that this is what it came down to.”
Greg Ramsey was born in 1962 in Iowa. George Baumann met Greg when he was about 6 years old, and said the boy had had a hard life.
“His real dad had run off before he was born, and his mother just didn't want anything to do with him,” said Baumann.
He and Dot Keller said Greg spent some time in an orphanage and foster homes as his mother tried to sort her life out.
Baumann married Greg's mother, Lisa Sappe, in 1969, and said he'd occasionally come home from work to find Greg gone.
“I'd say, ‘Where's Greg?' and she'd say she'd run him off,” said George Baumann. “He was just a little boy. So I'd have to take off and find him.”
When George Baumann got divorced from Greg's mother, Greg stayed with him. He eventually joined the Navy, but was discharged as his schizophrenia began to emerge.
“In his early 20s, I think that's when he had his first episodes of fragmentation,” said Keller. “Things just got very hard for him after that, and he struggled with schizophrenia all his life.”
As he got older, the disease seemed to get worse, Keller said.
During his years in Missoula, Greg spent some time living with George Baumann, and he did some work as a finish carpenter. Eventually, though, he couldn't work for another man.
“Basically, he would get fired because things had to be done his way,” said George Baumann. “That really made it to where he couldn't work.”
About 10 years ago, Greg was committed to the Montana State Hospital. He was treated and thrived for a while on medication, but Keller said he eventually fell through the cracks.
“He's the sort of person who is not going to take his medication if he's left to his own devices,” Keller said. “He needed some sort of network of support, but we haven't really figured out what to do with the mentally ill who live on the streets. It's so sad.”
Greg committed a series of mostly misdemeanor crimes - drugs, disorderly conduct, obstructing police - over the past five years, and he came to distrust both police and attorneys.
He was particularly adamant that Justice Court had no authority over him because of the way the court displayed the American flag.
In fact, George Baumann said Greg was yelling about the flag shortly before he was killed Sunday morning.
“Once he got something in his head, he just couldn't let go of it,” he said. “And now it looks like it killed him.”
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or by e-mail at mmoore@ missoulian.com.
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Scott B wrote on Dec 24, 2008 2:31 AM:
" Baumann's history is sad and tragic. Most people probably don't realize that many, if not most, of the individuals who have frequent contact with Police have similar pasts to one degree or another.
I'm sure there are those out there who will blame the Officers for not having Baumann's biography on hand before they defended themselves or perhaps they should have "read his mind" or somehow "levitated" the gun out of his hand without using deadly force.
I hope this is not the case. Anyone who thinks a Police Officer's job is not difficult and dangerous, take note.
Many incidents occur when Officers are justified in using deadly force. Most of these they manage to handle without having to pull a trigger. Meanwhile Missoulians sleep soundly through the night. These incidents rarely, if ever, make the news.
Sadly, this incident did not turn out that way. I can assure you the Officers involved would have preferred that it did.
Taking another life in the line of duty is the last thing any Police Officer wishes for.
Their first wish is to retire without ever having had to discharge their sidearm in the line of duty...... "
I'm sure there are those out there who will blame the Officers for not having Baumann's biography on hand before they defended themselves or perhaps they should have "read his mind" or somehow "levitated" the gun out of his hand without using deadly force.
I hope this is not the case. Anyone who thinks a Police Officer's job is not difficult and dangerous, take note.
Many incidents occur when Officers are justified in using deadly force. Most of these they manage to handle without having to pull a trigger. Meanwhile Missoulians sleep soundly through the night. These incidents rarely, if ever, make the news.
Sadly, this incident did not turn out that way. I can assure you the Officers involved would have preferred that it did.
Taking another life in the line of duty is the last thing any Police Officer wishes for.
Their first wish is to retire without ever having had to discharge their sidearm in the line of duty...... "
cyurk wrote on Dec 24, 2008 8:12 AM:
" The Missoulian should investigate how many rounds were fired by the police in order to kill this man. There is your story "
Bryan wrote on Dec 24, 2008 9:51 AM:
" To "Allen Ray" and "Cyruk" and your obvious contempt for the police. Solve your own problem. Apply for a police department near you or move to a nice place like Mexico where the police is obviously much better. Or better yet next time your in a car accident or get robbed TAKE CARE OF IT YOURSELF. My guess is if either Allen Ray or Cyruk were shot at in the middle of the night they would either be dead or running away. How many shots were fired? Give me a break! This happens in seconds! "
sara wrote on Dec 24, 2008 11:36 AM:
" this is very sad, i think that it was a medical problem and the officer that shot him should be ashamed. you can choose to aim a gun to kill or you can choose to aim a gun to contain and this shot was to kill. there was definately a better way to handle that situation "
Missoula Native wrote on Dec 24, 2008 12:16 PM:
" You can live in denial if you want, but the fact is that most of these homeless people choose this lifestyle no matter how much we try to help them. It's too bad that he fell thru the cracks, but it wasn't the officers fault that he was there any more than the rest of us. The officers only did what they had to do when he fired on them first.
Regardless of each homeless persons tragic background, I doubt anyone feels comfortable knowing they are armed with guns and sleeping in the parks where our children play. We all have to deal with beligerent vagrants downtown and in the parks year round. And the way many of them have become confrontational and acted towards myself and my family over the years, it bothers me to think that they might also be armed. As far as I'm concerned, it's good that this happened before he used that gun on someone else. "
Regardless of each homeless persons tragic background, I doubt anyone feels comfortable knowing they are armed with guns and sleeping in the parks where our children play. We all have to deal with beligerent vagrants downtown and in the parks year round. And the way many of them have become confrontational and acted towards myself and my family over the years, it bothers me to think that they might also be armed. As far as I'm concerned, it's good that this happened before he used that gun on someone else. "
Bubba B wrote on Dec 24, 2008 12:38 PM:
" Police are trained to use deadly force until the threat is over. Scott B is right on; many times police would be justified in using deadly force but do not at he risk of their own safety. Missoula is lucky to have such good law enforcement and we should all be proud of what they do every day. Sadly, this is all too common of a story when dealing with the mentally ill. There are not enough resouces for the number of people on the streets and for the mentally ill. "
montanachristmas wrote on Dec 24, 2008 2:24 PM:
" The police do an amazing job when confronted with the dangers they face every day. They continue to approach vehicles and individuals with no knowledge of what the situation will be. If you pull a gun on a police officer, they have no choice but to defend themselves and the public. I know they do not enjoy taking a human life or the criticism they face every day. Thank you Missoula Police Department for doing your job and keeping our town safe. "
Pete wrote on Dec 24, 2008 6:09 PM:
" To those fine Officers that did their jobs. Those Officers did something that we all dreed about. The best thing to remember is that they are all going home to their families. I do feel bad for the victim/suspect's family and my sympathy goes out to them. I would just like to say good job fellas/ladies. Keep up the good work. "
Will wrote on Dec 24, 2008 10:09 PM:
" He might have had a good side but ahhhh
HE SHOT AT THE COPS.
Bad choices took his own life
Sorry. "
HE SHOT AT THE COPS.
Bad choices took his own life
Sorry. "
wags1 wrote on Dec 26, 2008 5:16 PM:
" To Bryan...
Maybe you haven't had your house broken into...but I have, and you're right, you might as well take care of it yourself.My call to the police took 45 minutes to be responded to (time in which I did not know if my house was empty). When they did show up there was very little interest in what happened. When I tried to point out footprints leaving my house via a window, I was told that "this is not CSI" before the officer didn't even look at the prints, and went on his way. Just because we have a great police force does not mean they are above criticism. Too bad a park bench is all it takes to completely eliminate the use of a taser. "
Maybe you haven't had your house broken into...but I have, and you're right, you might as well take care of it yourself.My call to the police took 45 minutes to be responded to (time in which I did not know if my house was empty). When they did show up there was very little interest in what happened. When I tried to point out footprints leaving my house via a window, I was told that "this is not CSI" before the officer didn't even look at the prints, and went on his way. Just because we have a great police force does not mean they are above criticism. Too bad a park bench is all it takes to completely eliminate the use of a taser. "
allen ray matt wrote on Dec 24, 2008 1:22 AM:
but the facts are the cops killed another HOMLESS VETERAN
one of gods percious creatures.
would you be wil to tell my story.
BEFORE THEN KILL ME "