Deputy kills armed Idaho man, Owyhee sheriff says. Here’s what we know
The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation into a fatal police shooting that took place over the weekend in a neighboring county.
Just after 2 a.m. Sunday, the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office was contacted about an “unwanted, intoxicated” man at a residence in Bruneau, according to a news release from the agency. Bruneau, which has a population of a little more than 500, is roughly 20 minutes south of Mountain Home.
When a deputy arrived at a home in the 28000 block of Hyde Avenue, the man allegedly brandished a rifle, the Owyhee Sheriff’s Office said. He refused “numerous commands” to drop the firearm, and “shots were fired,” the release said.
The man died at the scene. Owyhee County Coroner Aaron Tines told the Idaho Statesman in an email that his office would release the man’s identification.
The deputy, who hasn’t been identified, wasn’t injured. The deputy was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice.
Joe Decker, a spokesperson for the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, declined to answer several questions sent by the Statesman, including whether the suspect fired his weapon and the deputy’s identity.
“As we are still in the early stages of the CITF (Critical Incident Task Force) investigation, no further information will be released at this time,” he said in an email.
This is the first shooting involving the Owyhee County Sheriff’s Office in three years. In 2022, two sheriff deputies shot and killed a 54-year-old Murphy man after he charged at them with a knife.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 12:43 PM.
