The Bingham County Prosecutor's Office has issued the following statement regarding the results of an officer-involved shooting in Blackfoot on May 11:

Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve Colson announced today that no criminal charges will be filed against any law enforcement officers for the officer-involved shooting that led to the death of Jacob T. Eldridge in Blackfoot, Idaho on May 11, 2018.

“I have concluded that the shooting was a justified use of deadly force necessitated by the threat Mr. Jacob T. Eldridge posed to a female victim of a hostage situation and stabbing, as well as the threat that he posed to law enforcement and the public,” Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve Colson said.

On May 11, 2018 at approximately 1280 S. Broadway Street, Blackfoot, Bingham County, Idaho, Jacob T. Eldridge, 24, was fatally wounded in an officer-involved shooting.

The Bingham County Prosecutor’s Office received a detailed report of the incident from the Pocatello Police Department Detective’s Division, assigned to the investigation. The Pocatello Police Department Detective’s Division complied a lengthy and thorough report, together with multiple discs of photos, videos and audio recordings.

The following is a summary of pertinent facts in this matter:

On May 11, 2018 at approximately 22:45 Bingham County law enforcement and the Blackfoot Police Department were dispatched to 1280 S. Broadway Street, Blackfoot, Bingham County, Idaho, the area of D&V Storage. Law enforcement was dispatched to that area based on a 911 call from family members of Jacob T. Eldridge, who described to dispatch that Jacob was dragging a female into a wooded area near D&V Storage and that he had a knife. The suspect of the hostage situation was identified as Jacob T. Eldridge, DOB 4/4/1994.

When officers arrived at the location of 1280 S. Broadway, Blackfoot, Idaho they were flagged down by a witness who pointed them in the direction of the storage units. The responding officers drove to the end of the driveway to a fenced off area with an open gate to access the railroad tracks. As the officers approached, there were additional witnesses who pointed them in the direction of the suspect and victim. Those witnesses confirmed that Jacob was a threat to the female and that Jacob had a knife. The knife was confirmed to be in Jacob’s possession and was an orange colored kitchen knife with a blade 7-8 inches in length.

Three officers of the Blackfoot Police Department were the first law enforcement to arrive on scene. Those three officers approached Jacob T. Eldridge and the female on foot. The officers observed the female to be on the ground on her back with Jacob on top of her and straddling her body. All three officers observed Jacob with a knife stabbing the body of the female. All officers announced their presence and requested that Jacob “drop the knife.” All witnesses, including the officers, confirmed that all three officers requested that Jacob “drop the knife” and that Jacob continued to make stabbing motions toward the female’s body and he would not comply with the commands from the officers. The officers during the time of making commands and at the time they discharged their weapons were in close proximity to Jacob and the female.

Jacob continued to stab the female with the knife after specific commands were given, at which time all three officers fired their weapons to stop Jacob from continuing to stab the female. After discharging their weapons and eliminating the threat to the female, law enforcement and members of the community, the female was then able to escape from Jacob. She was transported to a medical facility where she was treated for stab wounds to her leg.

Jacob T. Eldridge was pronounced deceased at the scene from the gunshot wounds after lifesaving efforts were given by officers and the ambulance crew.

“Based on my review of the investigation I have determined that the shooting of Jacob T. Eldridge was a justified use of deadly force necessitated by the threat that he posed to the female victim, law enforcement and the public. Law enforcement legitimately responded to investigate criminal actions by Jacob T. Eldridge and were confronted by him in a life-threatening manner and acted in the legal defense of the female victim, themselves and the public at large when discharging their duty weapons, thus fatally wounding Jacob T. Eldridge. Officers observed Jacob use a deadly weapon against the female victim, as well as refuse to comply with commands to drop the knife, which put everyone around Jacob at risk of death. The officers involved here not only observed the actions by Jacob, but also had an obligation under our law and their oath as police officers to stop Jacob, but also had an obligation under our law and their oath as police officers to stop Jacob in the manner in which they did, to stop Jacob’s continual threat to the female, law enforcement and citizens of the community,” said Bingham County Prosecutor Cleve Colson.