1 person dead, 2 people taken into custody after shooting in Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)- UPDATE 3/12/24: 23-year-old Lance Broncho is in Bonneville County Jail after engaging Idaho Falls police in an hours long standoff.

Local News 8 was first on the scene Saturday night at the intersection of 4th and Lee.

Shots were fired, resulting in one person being dead. 

The investigation into what happened is ongoing. 

Broncho allegedly fled one mile away to the teton mesa apartments where he barricaded himself inside because he had outstanding warrants.

The SWAT team used tear gas to eventually get him into custody.

On Tuesday, we are learning more about Broncho's criminal history. He had been involved in at least two prior incidents.

In April of 2021, he was sentenced to three and a half years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to stabbing a man and stealing his van. 

He was released in august of 2023, and in November of 2023, he was involved in an alleged battery. He was accused of beating a man in the head with a bat. That case was later dismissed with prejudice because one of the key witnesses refused to cooperate. 

ORIGINAL: The Idaho Falls Police SWAT team arrested a 23-year-old male last night at the Teton Mesa Apartments on Lomax Street, after two people were shot, killing one of them.

Shortly before 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night, the Idaho Falls 911 Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a burglary in progress at a residence in the 100 block of 4th Street.

Information provided included that a person had entered the residence and two people had been shot.

Idaho Falls Police Officers arrived and found two adult male victims, both who had sustained gunshot wounds. Officers began providing life-saving first aid, which was taken over by EMS from Idaho Falls Fire when they arrived on scene a short time later.

Both victims were transported to a local hospital by ambulance. One victim is deceased.

Through investigation, Idaho Falls Police Officers were able to identify and locate the suspect in an apartment in the Teton Mesa Apartments in the 800 block of Lomax Street shortly after 11 p.m. The suspect barricaded himself inside an apartment and would not come out when directed to by officers.

The Idaho Falls Police SWAT Team responded. Officers evacuated neighboring residents. The SWAT Team introduced CS gas to the residence. The suspect surrendered and was taken into custody shortly after 1:00 a.m.

A second person, later identified as Blanca Lopez, was seen exiting the apartment then going into another in an attempt to hide from police. Lopez was located and taken into custody on pre-existing Bonneville County Warrants shortly after 3:00 a.m.

The suspect is Lance Broncho, a 23-year-old male. Broncho is currently in custody on federal warrants and is expected to face charges consistent with homicide, pending continued investigation. Broncho sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound during the original incident, prior to contact with the Idaho Falls Police Department.

There is no ongoing threat to the public related to this incident. Additional information is expected to be released in the coming days as the investigation progresses.

The Idaho State Police, Bonneville County Sheriff's Office and Chaplains of Idaho assisted in the response to this incident.

Idaho Falls Police thank them for the readiness and willingness to do so.