On Friday afternoon, December 26th, a shooting incident occurred at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office in downtown Wallace, Idaho. A gunman entered the lobby of the sheriff’s office and opened fire, resulting in 3 people being injured.
The suspect, who was armed with multiple firearms, was shot by law enforcement after a standoff and was pronounced dead at 4:15 pm. The police stated that all the injured individuals suffered only minor injuries, and the community is currently not at risk.
Sheriff William Eddy of Shoshone County said during an evening press conference that the incident took place around 2:30 pm. The suspect fired shots outside the sheriff’s office at a pickup truck, then entered the lobby and fired shots towards the dispatch center. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including nearby police stations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), immediately responded to the scene.
A firefight ensued between the suspect and law enforcement inside the sheriff’s office lobby, with the police eventually firing back and causing the suspect to be fatally shot.
Authorities noted that two civilian women inside a pickup truck were shot, with bullets piercing the windshield and hitting their legs; another officer suffered a minor ear injury from a bullet grazing past.
Eddy mentioned that the injured officer was from the Kellogg Police Department. When the officer and the Kellogg Police Department chief entered, a bullet went through the dispatch center, grazing the officer’s ear. Fortunately, the injury was minor and the officer has received treatment.
Eddy further explained that various agencies were handling different aspects of the scene – the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department are in charge of the criminal investigation, while the Idaho State Police is investigating the circumstances surrounding the police’s retaliation.
The sheriff’s office stated that the suspect was carrying “several guns,” but the identity, age, and motive of the suspect have not been disclosed at this time.
Regarding the circulating rumors about the suspect’s name on social media, Eddy stated that the information cannot be confirmed and stressed that unverified information should not be spread.
After the incident, the downtown area was temporarily locked down, surrounding roads and traffic ramps were closed, and some residents were asked to take shelter. As the scene was deemed safe, the restrictions have gradually been lifted, but the investigation is ongoing.
Eddy also acknowledged that the sheriff’s office lobby is usually open to the public for reporting cases and contacting the dispatch center, allowing the suspect to enter directly. He mentioned that considerations will be made to adjust the office’s security measures to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future.
He clarified that the suspect did not enter the jail section, and the personnel inside the prison are still safe.