The Bingham and Bonneville County sheriff’s offices have issued a combined news release.
Following a complaint of gunfire, Bingham County Sheriff’s deputies were sent to the area between 1100 East and 1300 North East of Shelley at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to the reporting party, a homeowner came upon a suspect trying to steal a four-wheeler on their property. Shots were fired during the incident, wounding the suspect and the homeowner before they escaped on foot.
After arriving on the scene, Bingham County Sheriff’s officers asked neighboring law enforcement organizations for additional help in setting up a perimeter and conducting a search for the culprit.
In addition to Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies and Idaho State Police, Shelley and Blackfoot Police officers also responded. The homeowner was taken to EIRMC in Idaho Falls for treatment of a gunshot wound after Shelley Fire and Ambulance personnel were also dispatched to the scene.
Deputies established a cordon around the house and started looking for the suspect, who was thought to be armed and injured. The suspect was found in a field adjacent to the house by Bingham and Bonneville County deputies during the search, and both agencies’ deputies fired shots. Although deputies started life-saving actions right away, the suspect passed away on the spot.
Bingham County Sheriff Jeff Gardner asked the East Idaho Critical Incident Team to come and conduct the investigation after the area was secured. The homeowner’s injuries were not life-threatening, and neither deputies nor law enforcement were hurt during the event.
As the East Idaho Critical Incident Team continues its investigation, with the Pocatello Police Department serving as the lead agency and with assistance from Idaho Falls Police and the Idaho State Police, no additional information is currently available. As the investigation progresses, further details will be made public by the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office.
