Idaho Falls Man Shot in Officer Involved Shooting

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KLIX)-An Idaho Falls man was shot in his backyard by a police officer early Monday morning as law enforcement searched for a suspect that ran from a traffic stop.

According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, the officer involved shooting is under investigation by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force (CITF) and is being conducted by the Idaho State Police. At a little after midnight a Bonneville County Sheriff's deputy pulled over a car for a traffic violation. A male passenger inside the car ran from the stop into a nearby neighborhood resulting in several more deputies and Idaho Falls Police officers responding. Idaho Falls Police said in a statement that the suspect had been wearing a black shirt.

As law enforcement searched the neighborhood they were able to learn the identity of the individual. At one point a resident told police the suspect had ran through his yard and believed he was carrying a gun. Officers were then able to use GPS information that indicated the suspect was in a specific area of the neighborhood and surrounded the location. Because of the prior history of the suspect and the possibility that he could have been armed, officers entered the backyard with their weapons drawn.

Officers then heard yelling coming from the backyard and as they entered the area they encountered a man with a black shirt and gun. “We do not currently have the answers as to what exactly occurred during these moments,” said Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson in a statement, “We do know that during this interaction, an Idaho Falls Police Officer discharged his service weapon firing one shot which struck the man. Officers attempted life-saving measures but they were unsuccessful. Emergency medical personnel from the Idaho Falls Fire Department also responded and were also unable to provide any lifesaving aide to the man."

The officers involved has not been identified and is on administrative leave. The Idaho Falls Police Department has been in contact with the victim's family. The suspect involved was located shortly after the shot was fired hiding in a shed, he was arrested and booked in the local jail.