Butte City Mayor charged with brandishing a gun during city council meeting
Ariel Jensen
BUTTE, Idaho (KIFI) — Butte City Mayor Kevin J. Turner was arrested after pulling out a gun during a city council meeting on July 10, 2025.
Butte County Sheriff’s Deputies said they were called to a disturbance at the city council meeting in Butte City.
According to court documents, when deputies arrived, several people were standing in the street, who claimed Turner was inside, and threatened them with a gun.
Officers contacted Turner inside and asked if he was armed and if he was waving a gun around.
Turner said that he was, but was not waving a gun. Turner stated that he had gotten it out and used his firearm as a gavel to bang on the table.
During the meeting, things became heated over issues between some of the residents of Butte City and the mayor.
At some point during the heated exchange, Turner reportedly produced a firearm and banged it on the table like a gavel, apparently to restore order to the meeting.
Later, it was clarified that he never took it out of the holster and that he held the barrel while banging the mag well against the table.
Turner was arrested the following day on July 11th. Turner is charged with violation of the Idaho Code section 18-3303, Exhibition or Use of a Deadly Weapon.
Turner was booked into the Butte County Jail and was held there until he was released after his arraignment on Monday, July 14, 2025.