Pocatello woman sues police following 2013 standoff

A Pocatello woman is suing multiple law enforcement agencies after she claims a Pocatello police officer fired “randomly” at her home during a 2013 standoff.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court Friday. In it, Gina Stucki claims the Pocatello Police Department, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Bannock County Emergency Communications Center and Pocatello police officer Niko Gordon acted negligently when responding to a standoff situation at her home on Sept. 12, 2013.

Stucki’s attorney, Bron Rammell, told Local News 8 Stucki was being stalked by her ex-boyfriend. Rammell said Stucki’s ex was waiting for her at her Flint Circle home and ended up holding her and her daughter at gunpoint.

The lawsuit claims Stucki’s daughter dialed 911, but that police didn’t act appropriately when they responded.

“Rather than separate the parties, he (Gordon) left them together to talk about it,” Rammell said.

Once Stucki’s daughter informed Gordon that the suspect had a gun, Rammell said Gordon began firing randomly into the home, causing $10,000 worth of damage.

At that point, he said Stucki and her daughter ran to hide in a bedroom where they were soon joined by the suspect, who held them hostage for another 45 minutes.

The suspect later took his own life, the lawsuit claims.

The city of Pocatello released this statement Wednesday: “As this case is pending litigation, the City of Pocatello does not have a comment at this time.”

Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen told Local News 8 his deputies acted as back-up and weren’t directly involved in the events referenced in the lawsuit.