Attorney: Snipers killed WA man
PRIEST LAKE — Snipers claimed the life of a Washington state man who engaged in a standoff with Bonner County sheriff’s deputies, according to counsel for the man’s widow.
Craig Johnson, 50, was shot to death outside his Coolin cabin after allegedly pointing gun at deputies on Sept. 26, 2017. Deputies were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Johnson after he had pointed a gun at a deputy during a welfare check that was conduct a day earlier.
April Linscott, who represents Johnson’s wife, Robin Andrews, told a 1st District Court judge that Andrews requested the welfare check after being unable to reach Johnson. The deputy conducted the welfare check at around midnight.
“He came to the door armed not knowing who was there. As a result of the welfare check, nothing happened. The officer left and then did proceed to get an arrest warrant because Mr. Johnson answered the door with a firearm,” Linscott said during Dec. 10 hearing on a defense motion to dismiss the civil case against Idaho State Police.
Andrews sued the state to obtain public records about the shooting and the earlier confrontation, in addition to evidence seized in the shooting investigation. Andrews has also filed a claim for $5 million in damages from the county for unlawful use of force.
When deputies went to serve the arrest warrant on Johnson, they arrived at the cabin in a Lenco BearCat, a wheeled armored personnel carrier, Linscott told the court. She added that two law enforcement snipers were positioned in the woods nearby and that Johnson exited the rear of the cabin to avoid a confrontation with the SWAT team at his doorstep.
“He was afraid for his life, presumably, when he left the rear of the cabin and was subsequently shot by the snipers,” Linscott said during the hearing.
Idaho Deputy Attorney General Leslie Hayes argued Andrews’ complaint should be dismissed because the plaintiffs were unable to show that the search warrant was unlawful or that criminal charges were not being contemplated. Hayes added that the initial public requests could not be honored because an investigation into the officer-involved shooting was ongoing.
Special prosecutor Barry McHugh, the elected prosecutor in Kootenai County, ultimately cleared Bonner County deputies of wrongdoing in the shooting, according to Hayes.
Linscott argued that Andrews is owed the information about the welfare check and shooting by ISP under state law.
“There was a widow who was trying to find out what happened to her husband. As you could imagine when you lose a loved one you need to answer the questions of why? (and) How did this happen?,” said Linscott.
Senior District Judge Steve Verby took the motion to dismiss under advisement.
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.