Woman shot by state police in critical condition
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POCATELLO — The woman who was shot by state police Monday afternoon is in critical condition.
Shaylee Williamson, 21, of Pocatello, was a passenger in a vehicle that state police stopped near the Bannock County fairgrounds in an attempt to arrest the driver, Rocco Chacon Jr., on two outstanding felony warrants for probation violations.
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Law enforcement officers said that when Chacon decided to drive away from the troopers they opened fire. Williamson was wounded and is currently in critical condition at Portneuf Medical Center, hospital officials said.
Chacon, 24, of Pocatello, is in Bannock County Jail.
No troopers were injured during the incident.
Law enforcement officials aren’t saying much about what led to the shooting.
The shooting occurred around 1:20 p.m. Monday at Olympus Drive and Golden Gate and after Chacon sped away from the scene state police pursued him. He drove down Olympus Drive and then turned onto Pocatello Creek Road.
Chacon eventually stopped his car on Pocatello Creek Road and he and Williamson exited the vehicle, but they were quickly apprehended by state police.
Chacon and Williamson were transported via ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello.
Chacon was deemed to be OK by hospital staff and was then transported by Bannock County sheriff’s deputies to the county jail, where he’s being held without bond for his probation violations. Additional charges against Chacon for Monday’s incident are expected to be filed soon, authorities said.
Authorities have not yet commented on what charges Williamson might be facing. Pocatello police referred to her as a suspect in a press release about the shooting.
Following the shooting, dozens of law enforcement officers converged on the area from Olympus and Golden Gate to where the pursuit ended on Pocatello Creek Road. Some city streets were temporarily shut down during the investigation.
Highland High School and Gate City Elementary School were put on a high security alert because of their close proximity to the incident.
Pocatello police are investigating the shooting and will likely release additional information in the near future. The shooting will also be the subject of an internal investigation by state police.
This article first appeared in the Idaho State Journal. It is used here with permission.