Witness Hears Early Morning Shootout

RAPID CITY, SD - Interstate 90 turned into the focus point of an investigation after an early morning shootout. According to police, two Rapid City Police Officers and a Highway Patrol Trooper fired at James Baker, after he fired at them.

"I think we heard at least ten. That's what it sounded like; it was just, 'pop, pop, pop, pop.' So, at first, it didn't dawn on me, but then it did. I knew what they were," Brianna Freeman said. 

Freeman is a clerk at a nearby hotel and heard the shots in the night. At first, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to make sure she and the guests in the hotel were all safe.

"We jumped up to go take a look to make sure they weren't coming into the parking lot, and we heard the shots fired. So, we stopped. After a few seconds, we went out and looked and we saw that they had a truck stopped and there were probably six to ten cops, and more were coming," Freeman said.

Vehicles stayed in place while investigators combed over the scene. As is procedure, the shooting will be investigated. Those who slept through the incident awoke with many questions, including what had happened.

"They see the lights flashing from whatever they're doing now.  So, they just ask what happened. I say, 'well, there was some stuff going on but everything is taken care of now.  So, it's safe.' That's the main thing," Freeman said.

Now, those who were startled by the overnight shootout are looking forward to quieter nights in the future.

Freeman says the shots seemed muffled and weren't that loud.  But she could hear them because of how quiet it is at night.