The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting Friday afternoon in the Rapid City suburb of Rapid Valley. The name of the deceased has not yet been released.
Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom says it appears the man was suicidal and “intentionally provoked the confrontation with law enforcement to engage in the shooting.”
Sheriff Thom says the incident began with a 911 call about a drunk relative who was physically and verbally fighting with family members at a Rapid Valley home.
Several deputies responded and found the man in his own driveway holding a rifle or shotgun that he leveled at them. He ignored multiple order to drop the gun, at which point the deputies shot him.
Thom says his deputies immediately turned over control of the scene to South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers and officers from the Rapid City Police Department