Around 12 a.m., a Bonneville County sheriff's deputy pulled over a car for a broken taillight. When the car stopped, Tanner J. N. Shoesmith, 22, jumped out and ran. As more officers joined in the search, they were able to identify Shoesmith and note that his record showed three open arrest warrants and a history of violent interactions with police. Officers spoke to a resident in the area who reported seeing someone run through the person's yard -- possibly armed. Meanwhile, a passenger in the car, received text messages from Shoesmith that included his GPS location. The person shared the location information with officers. Officers heard yelling as they neared the backyard, where they saw a man in a black shirt with a gun. Officers reportedly told the man to drop the weapon and fearing for their lives, shot and killed the homeowner. Officers found Shoesmith hiding in a shed in the backyard of a nearby home.
Agency: Idaho Falls Police Department
Motive: Traffic violation
Confrontation Type: Traffic Stop
Service Call: No
Body Camera: yes
Official Disposition: Pending investigation
Victim Name: Joseph Johnson
Death Date: February 8, 2021
County: Bonneville
Geography: Suburban
Gender: Male
Age: 37
Race: White
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: No
Armed: Allegedly Armed
Weapon: gun
Threat Level: other
Fleeing: foot
Washington Post Database ID: 6598