A police officer in Idaho on Monday fatally shot a man in his own backyard after he mistakenly suspected the authorities were searching and who they were believed to be armed with, officials said.
The Washington Post reports that police officers in Idaho Falls were looking for Tanner JN Shoesmith, 22, when an officer watching him shot a man who partially fits his description.
The man who was fatally shot has yet to be identified, the Post reports, and his family has requested that his name not be shared publicly.
The officer who shot the man in his backyard has been placed on administrative leave and the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force (CITF) will investigate the incident.
According to a statement of the Idaho Falls Police Department, the incident began when an officer tried to stop a stop. After pulling over, a man fled the car on foot and was described as wearing a black T-shirt.
While searching for the man, police officers identified him as Shoesmith and found that there were several warrants for his arrest, including a criminal battery and two failing to appear warrants.
Shoesmith allegedly shared his GPS location with another person in the car after which he fled, which police officers then used to track him down. After police determined that Shoesmith was located in a nearby backyard, police approached and surrounded the residence.
As they approached the backyard, officers apparently shouted and saw a man holding a gun in a black shirt. Officers, according to the statement, told the man to drop the weapon.
“We do not currently have the answers on what exactly happened during these moments,” said Bryce Johnson, Idaho Falls Police Chief. ‘We do know that an Idaho Falls police officer during this interaction unloaded his service weapon that fired one shot that hit the man. Officers tried to take life-saving measures, but they did not succeed. Emergency medical personnel from the Idaho Falls Fire Department also responded and were unable to provide life-saving assistance. ”
After the unknown man was shot, officers saw another man running nearby. Shoesmith was allegedly found in the barn of a nearby residence and was arrested. The entire incident, from the traffic stop to the arrest of Shoesmith, took place within about 20 minutes, according to Idaho Falls police.
“There are no words to express how heavy our hearts are today,” Johnson said. ‘This situation is devastatingly tragic for the family, for the officer and those who love them. We all feel the weight of what happened today. Our deepest sympathy is with the family and friends of those involved, especially the family of the deceased. ”