South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says a Rapid City police officer was justified when he fatally shot a suspect last month after the man had pointed a gun at him and appeared to fire.
Jackley bases his ruling on an investigation by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation into the death 34-year old Ira Julian Wright. The name of the officer has not been released.
Jackley says evidence, including video from the officer’s body-worn camera, indicates that the officer verbally commanded Wright to stop and didn’t fire until Wright pointed a gun at home.
The incident began when an officer at an apartment complex on an unrelated case heard a woman scream and thought an assault had occurred. The officer saw Wright outside carrying a backpack and tried to make contact with him.
Wright fled, dropped his backpack, and ran into a second building. The officer hit him with a Taser to no effect. Wright ran up a flight of stairs and started up a second flight when he turned toward the officer and pointed a revolver at him.
The officer fired and hit Wright, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer was not hurt.
Jackley says video and audio recordings, interviews of officers and witnesses, and examination of evidence by the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory corroborated the officer’s account that he faced a clear, life-threatening danger.