Man shot by police on I-84 in Meridian in ‘stable’ condition, expected to face charges
A man who was shot and injured by Treasure Valley officers remains in the hospital two weeks after the incident and will face charges once he recovers, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.
Three officers from the Kuna Police Department fired their weapons at the man after a reported fight and several vehicle pursuits by law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office, which operates the Kuna Police Department under a contract with the city.
The suspect was taken to a local hospital on Aug. 1 and was in critical condition, though his condition has since changed to “stable,” Lauren Montague, a spokesperson for the agency, told the Idaho Statesman in an email Thursday. None of the officers were injured.
Sometime after 6 p.m., officers from the Meridian Police Department were called to a “fight situation” near the intersection of South Eagle and East Overland roads, where they found the suspect’s vehicle and pursued him, according to the Sheriff’s Office. They followed him for about five miles until they lost sight of his car near East Columbia and South Locust Grove roads in Kuna.
Kuna police spotted his vehicle about 15 minutes later and pursued it north on Meridian Road toward Interstate 84, the Sheriff’s Office said. The suspect was able to avoid spike strips laid on the road by a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office before driving onto the westbound ramp of I-84.
That’s when a Kuna officer used a pursuit intervention technique, known as a PIT maneuver, to stop the vehicle in the median of the interstate, the Sheriff’s Office said. A PIT maneuver involves the officer using their vehicle to strike the suspect’s vehicle on the side and force it sideways to stop it.
The man exited his vehicle with a gun in his hand, according to the Sheriff’s Office, though it’s unknown whether he pointed the firearm at officers. The Sheriff’s Office said they gave the man “verbal commands” before shooting him. Three officers, who haven’t been identified, shot at him. The Sheriff’s Office has not disclosed how many bullets struck him.
The man was given medical assistance at the scene and taken to a hospital. The Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that criminal charges are pending against the man but didn’t specify the charges.
Authorities plan to book the man into the Ada County Jail once he’s released from the hospital, Montague said. Once he’s booked into the jail, Montague said the man’s identity and more information about his pending criminal case will be announced.
This was the fifth police shooting involving Ada County law enforcement agencies this year. One of the previous shootings was by a sheriff’s deputy. Another two were by Boise police: the fatal shooting of the man suspected of killing 27-year-old Ada County Sheriff Deputy Tobin Bolter and the accidental shooting of a state correctional officer. The remaining shooting involved both agencies.
This story was originally published August 15, 2024 at 1:37 PM.
