Idaho man shot by FBI faces charges. Questions remain about shooting, arrest
Over a year after the FBI shot and injured a man in Canyon County, he’s facing several charges related to the shooting.
On Feb. 5 2025, a federal agent — or agents — shot a “subject” at approximately 4 p.m. in Caldwell, according to a news release from the agency. The agents were “conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity at the time,” the FBI said.
“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously,” the agency said in its five-sentence news release. “In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI’s Inspection Division.”
No other information was provided. And despite repeated requests for additional information, the agency didn’t provide any new details until this month, when it referred the Idaho Statesman to Idaho’s federal prosecutor’s office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho identified the man who was wounded as David Gregory Mendoza, according to an email from the agency’s spokesperson, Jason Densley. He confirmed that the 48-year-old was indicted on several charges, but Densley declined to provide information regarding the shooting.
“As to the shooting, we cannot comment on that at this time,” he said.
Mendoza was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He’s facing four charges: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and two counts of assault on a federal officer or employee with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
The FBI’s spokesperson, Sandra Yi Barker, also declined to comment on the shooting, including a question asking whether the agent(s) involved in the incident were justified in firing their weapons. She directed the Statesman to submit a Freedom of Information Act request.
Mendoza failed a drug test in November 2024 while on supervised release for a 2015 conviction of distributing methamphetamine, and by February 2025, a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to records. He admitted a month after his most recent arrest to using meth, which was a violation of his supervised release, and he was sent back to prison, according to a transcript of a court hearing.
Details about his February 2025 arrest were also scarce during his hearing on the revocation of his supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Zebari said in court that he couldn’t comment much because the arrest was still under investigation.
Mendoza said during the hearing that he believed he was on the right path and apologized for his actions.
“I want to apologize to the courts for, you know, having to be here today — but we’re here,” he said, according to the transcript.
He’s scheduled to go to trial on the charges related to his most recent arrest in September at the James A. McClure Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Boise.
