Prosecutor: Police were justified in shooting man who was stabbing woman with large kitchen knife

BLACKFOOT — Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve Colson announced Friday that no criminal charges will be filed against any law enforcement officers for an officer-involved shooting that led to the death of Jacob T. Eldridge in Blackfoot on May 11.

“I have concluded that the shooting was a justified use of deadly force necessitated by the threat Mr. Jacob T. Eldridge posed to a female victim of a hostage situation and stabbing, as well as the threat that he posed to law enforcement and the public,” Colson said in a news release.

The Bingham County Prosecutor’s Office received a detailed report of the incident from the Pocatello Police Depa1tment Detective’s Division, which had been assigned to the investigation. The division compiled a lengthy and thorough report, according to Colson, together with multiple photos, videos and audio recordings.

The following is a summary released from Colson:

On May 11, at approximately 10:45 p.m., Bingham County law enforcement and the Blackfoot Police Department were dispatched to 1280 S. Broadway Street in Blackfoot – the area of D&V Storage. Law enforcement was dispatched to that area based on a 911 call from family members of Jacob T. Eldridge, who described to dispatch that Jacob was dragging a female into a wooded area near D&V Storage and that he had a knife.

When Officers arrived, they were flagged down by a witness who pointed them in the direction of the storage units. The responding officers drove to the end of the driveway to a fenced off area with an open gate to access the railroad tracks. As the officers approached, there were additional witnesses who pointed them in the direction of the suspect and
victim.

Those witnesses confirmed that Eldridge was a threat to the female and that he had an orange colored kitchen knife with a blade 7-8 inches in length.

Three officers of the Blackfoot Police Department were the first law enforcement to arrive on scene. Those officers approached Eldridge and the female on foot. The officers observed the female to be on the ground on her back with Eldridge on top of her and straddling her body.

All three officers observed Eldridge with a knife stabbing the body of the female. The officers announced their presence
and requested that Eldridge “drop the knife”.

All witnesses, including the officers, confirmed that all three officers requested that Eldridge “drop the knife” and that he continued to make stabbing motions toward the female’s body and he would not comply with the commands from the officers. The officers, during the time of making commands and at the time they discharged their weapons, were in close proximity to Eldridge and the female.

Eldridge continued to stab the female with the knife after specific commands were given, at which time of making commands and at the time they discharged their weapons were in close proximity to Eldridge and the female.

Eldridge continued to stab the female with the knife after specific commands were given, at which time all three officers fired their weapons to stop him from continuing to stab the female. After discharging their weapons and eliminating the threat to the female, she was then able to escape from Eldridge. She was then taken to a medical facility to be treated for injuries to her legs.

Eldridge was pronounced deceased at the scene following lifesaving efforts given by officers and the ambulance crew.

“Based on my review of the investigation, I have determined that the shooting of Jacob T. Eldridge was a justified use of deadly force necessitated by the threat that he posed to the female victim, law enforcement and the public. Law enforcement legitimately responded to investigate criminal actions by Jacob T. Eldridge and were confonted by him in a life-threatening manner. They acted in the legal defense of the female victim, themselves and the public at large when discharging their duty weapons, thus fatally wounding Jacob T. Eldridge. Officers observed Jacob use a deadly weapon against the female victim, as well as refuse to comply with commands to drop the knife, which put everyone around Jacob at risk of death. The officers involved here not only observed the actions by Jacob, but also had an obligation under our law and their oath as police officers to stop Jacob in the manner in which they did, to stop Jacob’s continual threat to the female, law enforcement and citizens of our community,” Colson said.