Man in police custody after holding himself up in an Idaho Falls hotel room
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - UPDATE 5:50 p.m. A man is in custody after he barricaded himself inside a room at the EconoLodge on West Broadway.
Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson said a robot was sent into the room to see what was inside. Determining it was clear, officers entered the room with a 'flash bang.' Johnson said it is standard procedure when entering a barricaded room. The officers were able to take the man into custody. No one else was in the room.
The suspect was found shot and taken to the hospital, Johnson said.
The incident started around 1:15 p.m. Monday when hotel employees called the police for a trespassing charge. Employees said he would not leave his hotel room or pay his bill.
When police officers arrived, the tenant shot at them and they returned fire. The man then barricaded himself inside the hotel room. At that time, police believed the suspect was wounded from the shooting, but was still alive.
Johnson said an officer was injured and taken to the hospital. He is expected to recover. Johnson didn't say how he was wounded but said he was not shot.
The Eastern Idaho Critical Task Force will take up the investigation of the shooting as it involved an officer shooting.
This story is still developing and we will update you as we get more information.