RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — This story has been updated.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has announced that the suspect shot by police after reportedly taking a gas station clerk hostage with a knife has died.
Shortly after 12:00 p.m. (MT) today a male suspect entered a gas station at the 1600 block of Haines Ave. in Rapid City and held a knife at the clerk’s throat, according to Rapid City Chief of Police Don Hedrick.
911 was called and a bystander engaged with the suspect, but Hedrick says the suspect regained control of the clerk and brought her outside with the knife still being held near her.
In a release sent Friday evening, the Attorney General’s Office notes that the suspect refused commands to surrender.
A responding officer fired at the suspect who was still holding the knife, and the suspect fell to the ground. Hedrick then says the officer deployed a taser to better control the suspect, who would not let go of the knife.
The suspect was transported by ambulance to the hospital where he later died.
Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller says that the Sheriff’s Office was on the scene, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is conducting a third party investigation. The Attorney General’s office confirmed the DCI is investigating.
After the investigation is complete, the DCI will issue a case report and shooting summation to be reviewed by the Attorney General and the Pennington County State’s Attorney for a final determination on the officer’s action.
Hedrick says that witnesses reported the suspect made statements about wanting the police to come, and speculated that this may have been an attempted ‘suicide by cop’ situation. He says the clerk was uninjured and that the officer involved was unharmed.
This is a developing situation, and more updates will be provided when they become available.
