An Idaho sheriff's deputy tragically lost his life after being shot by a driver during a routine traffic stop in Boise. The incident occurred at approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday when Deputy Tobin Bolter, 27, approached the driver's window and was shot by the suspect who then fled the scene. This marks the first time a sheriff's deputy in Ada County has been killed in the line of duty.
Following the shooting, Boise police located the suspect's vehicle abandoned and later found a man believed to be the suspect outside a residence. Despite efforts to negotiate his surrender, the situation escalated, and the suspect fired at officers just after midnight. In response, an officer returned fire, resulting in the suspect being shot and subsequently pronounced dead at the hospital. The suspect, a 65-year-old individual with an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, has not been publicly identified.
During the traffic stop, a witness immediately called 911 and administered CPR to Deputy Bolter until emergency medical services arrived. Additionally, another deputy en route to the scene was involved in a collision with another vehicle, resulting in both individuals being hospitalized. While the deputy is reported to be in stable condition, the status of the other individual remains undisclosed.
Deputy Bolter, who had seven years of law enforcement experience, had recently joined the sheriff's office in January after serving with the Meridian Police Department and Pleasant Hill Police Department in California. Idaho Governor Brad Little has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Deputy Bolter, expressing profound sorrow for the loss and acknowledging the dedication of law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily to safeguard communities.
At a poignant press conference following Deputy Bolter's passing, Sheriff Matt Clifford extended gratitude to the paramedics and the civilian who rendered aid to the deputy. He emphasized the resilience of the community in the face of adversity, underscoring the presence of both malevolence and benevolence in society.
