Man dies in officer-involved shooting
<p>Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon, far left, Det. Sgt. Gary Johnston, far right, and an unidentified officer talk Tuesday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in which a Sandpoint man died. (Photo by JIM McKIERNAN)</p>
SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint man was killed in an officer-involved shooting Tuesday afternoon.
Two Bonner County Sheriff’s deputies and a Sandpoint Police officer were involved in the shooting, which happened about 3:23 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ruth Street. The name of the adult male killed, as well as the name of the law enforcement officer, were being withheld, Bonner County Sheriff’s Capt. Ror Lakewold said.
Officials declined to specify the nature of the call which took them to the home or what led to the shooting.
A neighbor who lives near the home said the family heard what sounded like three gunshots, followed by a male repeatedly screaming, “murder, murder.” The neighbor said police and ambulances responded to the scene and the area surrounding the home was cordoned off.
The Region 1 Critical Incident Response team has responded and will conduct an independent investigation into the shooting. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office has been assigned as the lead investigative agency in the case
KCSO Public Information Officer Stu Miller said the team received a search warrant for the home, as well as the area surrounding it, around 8 p.m. and he expected the search to continue into the night. He declined to specify the nature of the search warrants.
The suspect’s body is scheduled for an autopsy today by the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office, Miller said.
Bonner County Sheriff Daryl Wheeler declined comment and was attending to the law enforcement officers involved.
Lakewold said the investigation could take three months or more to complete.
Tuesday’s shooting comes just more than 13 months after another officer-involved shooting in which a Priest River woman was was shot and killed after advancing on officers while holding a knife outside Bonner General Health. Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh concluded on Oct. 31 that the officers’ use of lethal force in the shooting death of Jeanetta Riley, 35, was justified.