No criminal charges filed in Pocatello officer-involved shooting

Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve Colson announced Friday no criminal charges will be filed against any law enforcement officers involved in the officer-involved shooting that led to the death of a 62-year-old Pocatello man on Dec. 22, 2017.

“I have concluded that the shooting was a justified use of deadly force necessitated by the threat Mr. Laurence McClellan posed to a Bannock County Deputy and a Pocatello Police Officer and the public,” said Colson.

McClellan was fatally wounded at 1540 Homer Drive in Pocatello.

Because Bannock County deputies were involved in the incident, Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Herzog requested Colson evaluate the situation.

The Bingham County/City of Blackfoot Joint Detective Division compiled a lengthy and thorough report, together with multiple discs of photos and audio recordings.

A summary of the report as follows:

On December 22, 2017 at approximately 1930 hours the Pocatello Police Department responded to investigate several hit and run accidents on the east side of Pocatello near the area of Homer Drive. During the investigation it was determined by PPD officers that the vehicle involved in the hit and run was a Ford pickup located at 1540 Homer Drive Pocatello, Idaho. PPD Officers responded to the front door of the residence and contacted a female resident of the home. She verified that the owner of the Ford pickup was Mr. McClellan and that he was present and lives at the residence. She then led PPD Officers into the residence, down a hallway and into a bedroom to meet with Mr. McClellan about the suspected hit and run accidents involving his vehicle. A PPD Officer was also present at the front door of the residence at this time. Two PPD Officers identified themselves to Mr. McClellan who was sitting on a bed facing the doorway of the bedroom. Mr. McClellan was holding a black handgun, which was then pointed in the direction of one of the PPD Officers, wherein that PPF Officer observed Mr. McCLellan holding the handgun with the barrel of the gun pointing in the Officer’s direction. All Officers immediately exited the residence. The female exited the residence safely as well at a later time.

After the officers exited the residence, a perimeter was st up for the safety of officers and the public.

Deputies from the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area with PPD Officers, as well as one Idaho State Police Trooper.

A trained negotiator with PPD then began communication with Mc. McClellan via cell phone.

During the negotiation Mr. McClellan went to the backdoor on two different occasions with the handgun in his right hand, at which time a Bannock County Deputy and a PPD Officer both gave Mr. McClellan commands. On the second occasion, at approximately 2033 hours, Mr. McClellan exited the residence and walked toward the Deputy and the Officer. Mr. McClellan had the handgun in his right hand and began to raise the handgun pointed in the direction of the Bannock County Deputy and the PPD in close proximity. Mr. McClellan continued to move in the direction of the Deputy and the Officer, wherein Mr. McClellan was not responding to commands, and he continued to point the barrel of the weapon in the direction of the law enforcement officers. At approximately 033 hours, the Bannock County Deputy fired his duty rifle at Mr. McClellan three (3) times until the threat to him and the Officer was over. Mr. McClellan was pronounced deceased at the scene from the gunshot wounds after lifesaving efforts were given by offices and the ambulance crew.