RCPD investigating officer-involved shooting at a convenience store

News Staff
February 3, 2023
News

Last Updated 2 years ago

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Authorities say a police officer has shot and killed a man after he took a gas station clerk in South Dakota hostage with a knife.

Rapid City Chief of Police Don Hedrick said that the suspect entered the gas station Friday and held a knife to the clerk’s throat, fending off a bystander’s efforts to intervene.

The suspect then brought the clerk outside with the knife still held near her.

In a release sent Friday evening, the Attorney General’s Office said that the suspect refused commands to surrender.

A responding officer fired at the suspect as he held the knife, and he fell to the ground. Hedrick said the officer also stunned the suspect because he still wouldn’t let go of the knife.

The suspect was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he later died. His name wasn’t immediately released.

Hedrick said that neither the clerk not the officer was hurt.

State and county officials are investigating and plan to submit their findings to prosecutors who will make a final determination on whether the shooting was justified.

***This is an update from our previous story below to show the man who was shot has since died.***

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City Police say one person was injured in an officer-involved shooting at the Loaf ‘N Jug on Haines Avenue in Rapid City on Friday.

According to police, at around 12:00 a call was received that an individual held the clerk hostage with a knife. Police believe that the individual may have been attempting to commit ‘suicide by cop,’ and repeatedly said he wanted police to arrive.

A bystander attempted to disarm the suspect, but the suspect regained control of the knife and continued holding the clerk hostage.

Officials say a Rapid City Police Department officer arrived on scene and fired his weapon at the armed suspect who then fell to the ground.

After police secured the scene, the suspect was transported to Monument Health Rapid City Hospital.

Officials say the clerk and the bystander who attempted to intervene were uninjured.

The situation has been handed over to the Division of Criminal Investigation. Responding agencies included Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and Rapid City Police Department.

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