An Idaho police officer fatally shot the wrong man. He’ll undergo firearm, patrol training

Day two of the trial for an Idaho Falls police officer who shot and killed a man last year took an unexpected turn.

After a 90-minute delay, the jury entered the courtroom, and 7th District Judge Darren Simpson announced that the case against Elias Cerdas was dismissed on the condition that Cerdas complete 100 hours of firearm, use-of-force and supervised patrol training in the next year.

“During that time, he will be on modified duty, which he is currently on,” Simpson said. “At the time it is completed, the case would be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.”

If Cerdas does not complete the training, however, the case could be refiled and a trial would resume.

Cerdas and one of his attorneys, Curtis Smith, embraced after hearing the outcome.

Cerdas was indicted on a charge of felony involuntary manslaughter after he shot Joseph “Joe” Johnson in Johnson’s backyard during a February 2021 manhunt. Johnson was not the suspect but was carrying a gun and had on the same color of shirt as the man being sought that night.

On the steps of the Bonneville County Courthouse, EastIdahoNews.com spoke with Cerdas, Smith and attorney Dennis Wilkinson. Wilkinson did not speak about the specifics of the case or what transpired during that 90 minutes, but said it was the right outcome after a lot of work and people weighing their options.

Wilkinson pointed to his client and said he is “relieved for him and happy for his family.”

“I’m glad he’s going back to them (his family). I’m very pleased with the result,” said Wilkinson.

When asked how he was feeling, Cerdas responded simply, “Very relieved, sir. Very relieved.”

Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson also expressed his gratitude for the outcome and faith in the criminal justice system. He briefly talked about the review process that’s in place internally as Cerdas continues modified duty.

“Until we’re completed with all that, we won’t really be talking a lot about the facts of the case. Some facts came out during the trial, but we’ll complete our process and then release the information like we usually do in all of our other shootings,” Johnson said.

Johnson said some of the training for Cerdas will take place through the department, but he did not specify.

A written statement from the city of Idaho Falls read: “We are grateful to have a resolution to this case. We remain committed to best practices and providing the best training for our officers and will continue to do so as we move forward from here.”

The Idaho Falls Police Department has said the incident began on Feb. 8, 2021, with a traffic stop. A Bonneville County sheriff’s deputy pulled over Tanner Shoesmith for a broken taillight, just a few blocks from Johnson’s home. When Shoesmith ran, a pursuit followed, with deputies and police officers flooding the neighborhood.

Police say a resident spotted the suspect running through a yard and believed he was carrying a gun. That information was conveyed to officers on their radios. As police searched for Shoesmith, they learned that he had several outstanding warrants for his arrest and a violent history with law enforcement, including a warrant for felony battery on an officer.

GPS coordinates from Shoesmith’s phone eventually placed the suspect in Johnson’s backyard, leading to a tragic shooting that was a case of mistaken identity.

The first witness who took the stand at the short trial was Idaho Falls Police Officer Spencer Wood. He explained that he spoke to Johnson before the incident and asked him whether he had seen the suspect. Johnson said no, and Wood said Johnson then went back into his home.

Wood testified that he did not tell Johnson to stay in his house.

“Things were unfolding rapidly,” Wood said on the stand. “I was primarily focused that there was an armed suspect nearby.”

Once the tracking of Shoesmith’s phone placed him in Johnson’s yard, police surrounded the home and drew their weapons. As officers moved in, police said they heard yelling and found a man, who turned out to be Johnson, carrying a gun. They said Johnson was wearing a black shirt — the same color as the suspect — when Cerdas pulled the trigger.

“Officer Cerdas did what he was trained to do. What he did that night was based completely on his experience and his training,” said Wilkinson. “He thought it was the suspect. He didn’t know.”

Wood said he heard yelling, so he jumped over a fence to try to help his fellow officers. That’s when he saw someone on the ground.

“At first, I believed him to be the suspect ... but he did not have shoes or socks on ... and that did not fit what we were told,” Wood said.

Wood said that’s when he noticed the man who had been shot was Johnson, not the suspect.

Idaho Falls Police Officer Stetson Belnap also testified Monday. Body camera footage played in court showed Belnap giving Johnson CPR and other lifesaving measures. Officers can be heard in the footage describing a gunshot wound to the chest.

Shoesmith was eventually found hiding in a shed and was arrested.