Suspect taken into custody after Firth standoff; sheriff's deputy in surgery - East Idaho News
Blackfoot

Suspect taken into custody after Firth standoff; sheriff’s deputy in surgery

  Published at  | Updated at

FIRTH — Law enforcement have arrested 22-year-old Juan Santos-Quintero after a prolonged standoff at a home Friday night.

The incident began around 7 p.m. in a neighborhood on North 600 East in Firth near A.W. Johnson Elementary School.

One Bingham County Sheriff’s deputy was shot, according to Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Bryan Lovell. The deputy was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center and is in surgery.

It’s unclear how the incident started, although early Friday morning Idaho Falls Police issued an alert asking for the public’s help in finding Santos-Quintero. He was wanted in connection to a string of armed robberies in the Idaho Falls area. Police referred to him as armed and dangerous in the release.

RELATED | Police searching for armed and dangerous man

Law enforcement from all over eastern Idaho converged in Firth and spent several hours negotiating with Santos-Quintero before he was taken into custody peacefully just after 9 p.m.

In messages to parents, Firth School District #59 confirms gunfire from the incident disrupted a soccer game at the elementary school. People were quickly evacuated from the field.

Folks who were at the game should be able to collect their belongings by contacting school officials.

EastIdahoNews.com will continue to update this story as we receive more information.

Police response
Mike Price, EastIdahoNews.com

SUBMIT A CORRECTION