BILLINGS - Two people are dead and one is critically injured after a shooting Thursday night in a Colstrip tavern.

Court records say Spencer Benson and Heath Becker were shot at the Whiskey Gulch Saloon, while Jason Burnette suffered a gunshot wound to the head. All three men worked at facilities in the Colstrip area. Benson died on scene, Becker died shortly after arriving at St. Vincent Hospital, and Burnette was taken to Billings Clinic with a gunshot to the head.

Fifty-one year old James Wilson of Lame Deer is in custody at the Yellowstone County Jail in connection with the shootings.

Officials said Wilson got into an altercation and was kicked out of the bar earlier in the day. A third party notified the Colstrip Police Department that Wilson threatened to come back and they dispatched officers to the bar.

Police said Wilson later returned just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday night with a handgun and shot Benson, Becker and Burnette before he was overtaken by onlookers. Wilson managed to fire two more rounds from his .357 caliber revolver before officers arrived on scene.

Outside the bar, three red flowers were planted in the snow representing the victims.

Wilson was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries and is now in the Yellowstone County Jail where he faces two charges of deliberate homicide and one count of attempted deliberate homicide

The small, close-knit town is trying to cope with the news, including the Chief of Police, who knew the victims.

"The victims of this were well known and well liked in the community and tragically, from what we can tell from the investigation were innocent victims in all this." said Chief Larry Reinlasoder.

Spencer Benson’s mother told KULR-8 she wants people to know that Spencer had a heart of gold, and a smile that would light up a room. Bensons was also friends with both victims, grew up on the same street as Heath Becker, and is the father of a 3 year old boy named Landon.

A fund has been set up for Benson’s son at the EnerGComm Federal Credit Union in Colstrip.

Jason Burnette was flown to Billings Clinic where he underwent surgery Friday afternoon for a head wound.