Idaho Man Shot In His Backyard After Cop Mistook Him For Armed Suspect

An Idaho man was shot and killed by a police officer in his own backyard after being mistaken for an armed suspect. Authorities said that the suspect was pulled over by a Bonneville County sheriff's deputy in the town of Idaho Falls just after midnight on Monday (February 8).

The suspect fled from the scene while the passenger remained in the car. The deputy called for backup, and officers from the Idaho Falls Police Department began searching for the suspect, who had multiple warrants for his arrest.

During the search, the passenger received a text message from the suspect and provided the GPS location to authorities. One of the neighbors told officers they saw the man run through a backyard and believed they were armed. Officers tracked the suspect to a nearby home and thought he was hiding in the backyard.

"Officers and deputies surrounded the residence and backyard in order to prevent the suspect from fleeing," the police said in a statement. "Due to the information that the suspect may be armed, and a prior history of violence when interacting with police officers, law enforcement personnel entered the location with their service weapons drawn."

Officers made contact with a man in a black shirt who was reportedly holding a gun. They told the man to drop the weapon, and one of the officers fired a single shot, which struck and killed the man. Authorities quickly realized that the man that had been shot was not the suspect they were looking for.

"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," Idaho Falls Police Department Chief Bryce Johnson said. "Our sincere sympathies are with the family and friends of those involved, most especially the family of the deceased."

The man who fled the scene of the traffic stop was eventually found nearby and taken into custody. It is unclear if he was armed when officers arrested him.

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