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Post Falls chase ends in fatal shooting

by KAYE THORNBRUGH
Hagadone News Network | December 30, 2022 1:00 AM

POST FALLS — Police apparently shot and killed a person suspected of intentionally driving a pickup truck into patrol vehicles Thursday in Post Falls.

Officers responded around 8:40 a.m. to a series of hit-and-run crashes in the area of the 300 block of Railroad Avenue in Post Falls, according to a Post Falls Police Department news release.

A suspect, who was located in the 700 block of Spokane Street, allegedly rammed a patrol car and fled the scene with police in pursuit.

Police said the suspect then rammed another patrol vehicle on Interstate 90 at milepost 4.

“Shots were fired,” the news release said.

Photos of the scene appeared to show the suspect’s vehicle, which was riddled with bullet holes on the driver’s side, backed up on top of a patrol car.

A body could be seen on the ground with a tarp over it.

“No police were shot and no suspects are outstanding,” Post Falls Police said in the release.

The suspect’s name was not made public, nor did Post Falls Police provide information regarding the fatality.

“This is a very fluid investigation, so we are unable to release more details at this time,” the department’s news release said.

Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Idaho State Police.

The North Idaho Critical Incident Task Force has been activated to investigate the event. The Coeur d’Alene Police Department has been tasked as the lead agency and will provide future updates.

Westbound I-90 was blocked from milepost 5 to milepost 2 for much of Thursday. A detour routed drivers around the incident via State Highway 41 and State Highway 53.

The Idaho Transportation Department announced around 3:30 p.m. Thursday that I-90 was reopened to traffic.

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DEVIN WEEKS/Press

Traffic begins to back up on westbound I-90 as police respond to an incident Thursday morning in Post Falls.

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DEVIN WEEKS/Press

Post Falls Police stage at the Exxon on Spokane Street and Seltice Way in Post Falls following a suspect pursuit that closed access to Interstate 90 and backed up traffic for hours.