Shooting at the Boise Towne Center Mall

BOISE, ID-

Update from the Boise Police Department

The Boise Police Department, along with our local, state and federal partners, is continuing to investigate the deadly incident at the Boise Towne Square Mall yesterday.

The information provided below is considered preliminary pending the results of a final investigation.  As a city and a community, there are many people and organizations working on ways to support each other and provide everyone impacted with guidance and opportunities to connect and recover.  We will continue to share more information about those events and plans as they are finalized.

Yesterday’s tragic incident left two victims deceased. They will be identified by the Ada County Coroner pending notification of next of kin.

There were three additional victims injured in the shooting.  Two of them are identified as a 52-year-old female and a 23-year-old female. They were both injured while inside the store and are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.  A third victim, a 68-year-old female was shot and injured while she was inside her vehicle.  She too has non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect died today at a local hospital.  He will be identified by the Ada County Coroner pending notification of next of kin. The investigation into his motives is ongoing.  His manner of death is also still under investigation by the Ada County Critical Incident Task Force.

A Boise Police Officer who responded to the scene was shot at through the window of his vehicle.  At this time, evidence indicates the hat he was wearing was struck by gunfire and shards of glass from the window struck the officer. He was treated and released from the hospital.

Details from the events on Monday, October 25, 2021, are listed below.  Again, this information is considered preliminary pending an official investigation.

1:50pm: Ada County dispatch began receiving calls about shots fired in the Boise Towne Square Mall on N. Milwaukee. Callers indicated a white male adult, dressed in black, in possession of guns, had fired multiple shots inside of the building. Evidence indicates the suspect was contacted by a security officer on the first floor of the building near a department store on the west side of the building. The suspect shot the security officer who died at the scene. The suspect then fired multiple rounds inside the building, striking the glass escalator and a second victim who succumbed to his injures at the hospital. The suspect then continued through the mall, firing rounds into the floor resulting in injuries to two females. An additional male victim was taken in a private vehicle to a hospital and treated for injuries sustained during a fall while exiting the mall.

1:53pm: The first officers arrived on scene and shortly after witnessed a suspect matching the description running from the area. Officers confronted the suspect behind a business on the 500 Block of N. Milwaukee.

1:54pm: Officers reported shots fired. The suspect was facing west toward Milwaukee. There was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and at least one responding officer.  The 68-year-old woman who was injured in her vehicle was on Milwaukee.

A preliminary investigation shows the suspect was in possession of multiple firearms and ammunition on scene at the mall.  18 spent shell casings were recovered from inside the building. A search warrant was executed at a residence on Fry Street today in Boise in relation to the investigation. There is also a multi-state effort underway to learn more about the suspect.  We have been coordinating with our local, state and federal partners to investigate rumors and reports from social media and there is no evidence of additional planned attacks or ongoing threats to the public.  All evidence indicates the suspect was acting alone.

Boise Police would like to commend all mall employees and staff with following proper procedures to secure and lock down the mall.  This was a chaotic scene, and many lives were saved by individual acts and decisions.

The Boise Towne Square Mall is coordinating with retailers and employees to recover items left behind in the mall.  There doesn’t appear to be a significant number of personal items left behind by other guests.

Boise Police is asking anyone who was a witness and has not yet spoken to police to contact us through Crime Stoppers or through the City of Boise website.  https://www.cityofboise.org/mall-report

Crime Stoppers: 208-343-COPS (2677), www.343COPS.com, or leave a tip using the “P3 Tips” app for your mobile device.

The Boise Police Department Victim Witness Coordinators along with our many community partners are working on ways to offer support and help for anyone who has been impacted this tragic event.  We will be offering new ways to receive that support and connect with resources in the coming days and weeks.

Update (around 6:30pm (MTD) October 25:

The investigation into a shooting that occurred inside and outside the Boise Towne Square Mall this afternoon remains under investigation by the Boise Police Department with assistance from state, local, and federal partners. An exchange of gunfire between the suspect and officer will be investigated separately by the Critical Incident Task Force led by the Meridian Police Department.Two people have been confirmed deceased as a result of their injuries. Five additional people were transported with injuries, including the suspect and a responding officer. The suspect is in critical condition. The officer has been treated and released. No additional information will be released by the Boise Police Department about the other victims treated at the hospital.What Happened: Around 1:50 this afternoon, Boise Police officers responded to a shots fired call at the mall on N. Milwaukee, with early reports that at least one person was shot. Minutes later, officers confronted an individual matching the description of the suspect outside of the mall. Gunfire was exchanged resulting in injury to both the suspect and an officer.Officers continued to respond to the scene and located multiple victims. Working in coordination with mall security protocols, officers worked to evacuate and clear the mall. The mall will remain closed as the investigation continues. At this time, we believe there was only a single shooter involved and there is no ongoing threat to the community at large.​“This was a traumatic experience for our community as a whole and our hearts go out to all the victims, witnesses, first responders, and those who have been impacted by today’s events,” said Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee. “We recognize the community has many questions and concerns. The Boise Police Department will work to make sure we get information out to the community as quickly as possible in conjunction with our investigators and prosecutors.”With the closure of the Boise Towne Square Mall, any individuals who need to retrieve items left in the mall will be able to do so tomorrow. Further information about this will be shared on BPD’s Twitter and Facebook. The scene is secure at this time and no one will be allowed in tonight.

Previous:

In a press conference with Boise Police Department (BPD) today it was noted that at approximately 1:50 pm (MTD) officers were dispatched to reports of shots fired at the Boise Town Center. According to BPD at least six people were injured, one of which was a police officer, two of which are now reported deceased at this time. 

When officers arrived on the scene the suspect was taken into custody.

BPD reports that the majority of the mall has been cleared and it is believed that this was a single shooter incident.  They do not believe there is a continued danger to the community. No motivation for the shooting is known at this time.

BDP will continue to update the community as details become available.

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