Idaho police say they shot and killed a man in his own front yard after mistaking him for a suspect

Police fatally shot a man in his own front yard after mistaking him for a suspect during a pursuit in Idaho on Monday, police said.

The man who was shot and killed was not the suspect, who was found after the incident hiding in a nearby shed, Idaho Falls Police Department Chief Bryce Johnson said during a press conference.

“This situation is devastatingly tragic for the family, for the officer, and those that love and care about them. We all feel the weight of what has occurred today,” Johnson said. “Our sincere sympathies are with the family and friends of those involved, most especially the family of the deceased.”

The officer who shot the man, who was not named by police, has been placed on administrative leave and the investigation is being handled by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force according to department procedure, Johnson said.

An internal investigation will also be conducted by the Idaho Falls Police department, according to Johnson.

Once the investigations are complete, a recommendation will be made to the Bonneville prosecutor’s office over whether to bring charges against the officer, Johnson said.

Attempted traffic stop turns into suspect search

The suspect had fled from a vehicle into a residential neighborhood after a Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to make a traffic stop just after midnight, Johnson said.

A warrant check found the suspect had warrants for felony battery on an officer and two failure-to-appear warrants as well as a history of violent interaction with law enforcement, according to Johnson.

The chief said that several members of law enforcement responded to the area to search for the suspect following a broadcast from the deputy who tried to make the traffic stop.

A resident told police they saw the suspect running through their yard and that they believed that the suspect had a gun, Johnson said.

The chief told reporters that the passenger of the vehicle that the suspect had fled from shared a message with officers allowing them to see the GPS location of the suspect, Johnson said, leading them to a home where they found a man holding a firearm.

Deputies surrounded the yard and told the man to drop the gun before an Idaho Falls officer fatally shot the man in his own yard, according to Johnson.

“We do not currently have the answers as to what exactly occurred during these moments,” Johnson said. “We do know that during this interaction, an Idaho Falls Police officer discharged his service weapon, firing one shot which struck the man.”

“Sometimes everyone does what they think is right and tragedies happen,” the chief added.

Police are not naming the victim as his family has asked for privacy during this time.

“There are not words to express how heavy our hearts are today,” Johnson told reporters.