McLean to Moyle: Greenbelt killing a tragedy, not ‘political theater’
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean hit back at local lawmakers who blamed the city for the killing of 25-year-old Jordan Harbst, calling the criticism “political grandstanding” in a statement released Tuesday afternoon.
Harbst was stabbed to death on the Boise Greenbelt shortly after midnight on July 6. Police later arrested Ross Wardlaw, a 41-year-old homeless man who frequently sleeps along the Greenbelt, in connection to the crime. On Friday, Wardlaw confessed to the stabbing, Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Robert Bleazard said.
Harbst’s death was a “profound loss,” McLean said in statement, vowing “to learn from this tragedy and do everything we can to prevent another one.”
“It’s frankly shameful to see some state legislators respond by jumping to blame, accusing our police officers of neglecting their jobs, turning the death of a young Boisean into political theater,” she said. “In moments of tragedy, our community deserves better than political finger-pointing.”
McLean’s response comes one day after Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, and Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, issued a press release, suggesting that Boise could have prevented Harbst’s death through stricter enforcement of a 2025 state law that bans camping on public property in cities with more than 100,000 people — that is, Boise, Nampa and Meridian.
Skaug, who sponsored the bill with Rep. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, said the law was passed to protect residents from “mentally unstable people” camping in public. Critics, though, say the law criminalizes homelessness, making it illegal to sleep in cars or outdoors, even if shelter beds are full. Last year, Boise passed its own ordinance to comply with the law, banning camping and ticketing violators with an infraction and a $10 fine.
To Skaug, that’s not enough.
“If the city of Boise had followed the law, that young man would likely be alive,” Skaug said.
Skaug also suggested that the victim’s family should “consider” a wrongful death suit against the city for its allegedly lax administration of the law.
On Monday, the Boise Police Department said it is stepping up patrols on the Greenbelt following the July 6 stabbing and alleged assault and kidnapping of a woman walking alone on July 11, the Idaho Statesman reported.
“We recognize that there are a lot of people concerned about the recent incidents,” Boise Police Lt. Corey Smith said during a news conference Monday. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure they feel comfortable using the Greenbelt, using the associated parks.”
A day later, McLean’s statement echoed that message in an op-ed sent to the Idaho Statesman.
“Violent incidents like these don’t define us, but they can shake our sense of safety,” she said in the op-ed. “So you’ll see more BPD officers along the Greenbelt and in our parks. Because residents shouldn’t just be safe. They should feel safe walking, running, biking, and spending time in our parks, pathways, and open space.
“Keeping a community safe requires more than responding after something happens. It requires consistent attention, meaningful investment, partnership, and a willingness to confront difficult challenges before they become crises.”
McLean went on to emphasize the city’s recent investment to both bolster law enforcement, including a new police substation, new officers and an expanded behavior health unit specializing in mental-health crises. She also highlighted the city’s attempts to combat homelessness, stating that the city and its partners have reduced unsheltered homelessness by 25% in the past year.
But, she said in Tuesday’s statement, there’s still more to do — for the city and its state.
“The challenges facing Idaho cities today are complex, including serious mental illness, addiction, housing instability, and gaps in services,” McLean said. “We respond to emergency calls, connect residents with services, and maintain public spaces. We do everything we can with the tools and limited resources available.
“The truth is that we can’t do it alone. We need partnership at every level of government. We need leaders — especially those at the state level — willing to invest in proactive solutions. I’m committed to that work — the work that puts people before politics — and I’m always ready to join hands with any leader willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”