Ada County sheriff’s deputy shot, expected to survive; police arrest suspect near Star

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — An Ada County sheriff’s deputy who was shot twice Monday morning is expected to survive, according to Ada County Sheriff Stephen Bartlett.

Around 7:30 a.m. Monday, one deputy was shot twice during an incident near the intersection of Beacon Light Road and Idaho 16 north of Star, according to a tweet from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Police were able to apprehend the suspect at around 11 a.m., according to another tweet from the office.

In a press conference Monday morning, Ada County Sheriff Stephen Bartlett told reporters that his deputies helped respond to a call that originated in Canyon County, following a burglary in which a yellow motorcycle was stolen.

The county’s Star and Eagle units were called to help look for the suspect and the motorcycle, and a deputy later tried to stop who he thought was the suspect driving a yellow motorcycle, Bartlett said.

The Idaho Statesman reports after a short car chase, the suspect got off the motorcycle and the deputy followed on foot. At some point, the suspect and the deputy “exchanged gunfire,” Bartlett said. The suspect, who was not identified as of Monday afternoon, and the deputy fired multiple rounds at each other, with the deputy being struck twice. The suspect then ran from the scene and fled into a cornfield nearby.

The deputy was taken to a Boise hospital, where he underwent surgery Monday afternoon. During the initial news conference Monday, Bartlett said the deputy was listed in critical condition. During a second press conference Monday afternoon, Bartlett said the deputy was upgraded to stable condition prior to his surgery.

Bartlett said the deputy is expected to recover from his injuries, though the surgery was still taking place during the second press conference. The deputy’s family has been notified of the incident but the deputy has not been identified.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were dispatched to the scene to help search for the suspect, including the Ada Metro SWAT team. Bartlett said that police used drones to scan the area before investigators were able to find the suspect and establish communication. The suspect later turned himself in and surrendered peacefully to police, according to Bartlett.

An investigation into the shooting will be conducted by the Critical Incident Task Force, a group made up of members from law enforcement bodies throughout Ada County. The Boise Police Department will lead the investigation, Bartlett said.

The suspect was in BPD custody Monday afternoon. As of 1 p.m., he had not been booked into the custody of the Ada County Jail, an online search showed. Bartlett said two firearms were recovered at the scene, but it was not known whether those were the guns used by the suspect.

Bartlett thanked fellow law enforcement officials for assisting them in the search for the suspect, as well as medics and hospital staff for providing care to his deputy.

He also thanked members of the public for reaching out and providing tips to law enforcement. Bartlett said the tips helped with the search.