Taskforce clears deputies in fatal Shelley shooting
Published at
SHELLEY – A critical incident taskforce has cleared six deputies from Bingham and Bonneville counties in the shooting death of Talon Sessions, 35, of Thayne, Wyoming.
On Aug. 20, law enforcement arrived at an address in the 1100 block of North 1330 East in Shelley in response to a 911 call regarding an exchange of gunfire between a resident and a suspect attempting to steal a four-wheeler, according to a statement from Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan W. Jolley.
Jolley made the information from the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Taskforce available to EastIdahoNews.com on Friday. The Pocatello Police Department led the taskforce’s investigation, with Jolley issuing the final report.
While it was later determined that Sessions was out of ammunition when he was confronted by law enforcement at the scene, “it was only known that an armed male had attempted to steal a four-wheeler, was likely wounded by the homeowner during an exchange of gunfire, and was believed to still be in the area,” Jolley stated in his report.
Jolley stated that Sessions had multiple opportunities to avoid the outcome.
“Only a portion of the criminal decisions made by the defendant leading up to this incident are relevant to this review and included,” Jolley stated in his report. “The justifications for the use of force in connection with this case are clear.
“Sessions refused to comply with the lawful commands of law enforcement and then presented an apparent deadly threat to them,” the report stated. “Had Sessions survived he would have been charged with numerous high-level felonies, to include aggravated assault on law enforcement. The deadly force utilized by each of the six … deputies in connection with this matter was justified.”
The report identifies the following deputies connected to the shooting: From Bingham County, Deputy Tyler Moon, Deputy Elijah Cawthon and Deputy Jared Miller. From Bonneville County, Deputy Jasen Smith, Deputy Kollin Gardner and Deputy Cameron Hunt.
Jolley said the investigation was aided body camera footage and “extremely close-up and high-definition drone video.”
Jolley called Sessions’ decisions unfortunate, speculating that once deputies arrived, he chose to end his life.
“It appears to me, based upon the facts, that he ultimately made the decision to end his life once confronted by law enforcement.
Jolley also said the report is a review only of the deputies involved in the shooting and not the actions of civilians who may also have been involved in the original shootout between Sessions and others on the scene.
Read Jolley’s report here.