STAR, Idaho — Update for August 13, 2020, 8:39 a.m.- Matthew Kelly appeared virtually for his preliminary hearing on Thursday. His first court hearing is set to take place on August 27, 2020, at 8:30 a.m.
An Emmett man is now facing multiple felony charges after he allegedly shot an Eagle police officer twice during a chase on Monday morning near Star.
Boise Police say 21-year-old Matthew Kelly of Emmett led an Eagle Police officer on a short car chase after Kelly was seen riding a stolen yellow motorcycle. The Canyon County Sheriff's Office received calls of a stolen motorcycle at about 7:30 a.m. at a home on Idaho Highway 20/26.
The Eagle Police officer, who has not been identified, located Kelly and the stolen motorcycle near the intersection of Highway 16 and Beacon Light Road. According to police, when the officer attempted to pull Kelly over, Kelly refused, then led the officer on a brief chase until the motorcycle began to malfunction.
Investigators say that's when Kelly got off the bike and the officer stopped his car to confront him. Kelly fired multiple rounds at the officer with a handgun, hitting him twice.
According to Boise Police, a Star Police officer who was also responding to the original call found the Eagle officer on the ground, outside of their car. He was able to apply a tourniquet himself to help stop the bleeding.
The officer was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. He is currently listed in critical condition but was stable prior to going into surgery and is expected to recover. Police did not say where the officer was shot.
Multiple agencies, including Ada County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Boise, Meridian, Garden City, Eagle, Star and Idaho State Police, formed a perimeter around the area as they searched for Kelly. The search lasted about 90 minutes.
Residents in the surrounding areas were told to shelter in place.
While searching for Kelly, officers found his father, Kevin Kelly, riding a different motorcycle near the area and pulled him over. During the traffic stop, police were able to contact Matthew Kelly by phone.
He was located shortly after 10:30 a.m. in a cornfield near the intersection of Highway 16 and Beacon Light with the use of a drone.
A K-9 Unit later found two handguns in Matthew Kelly's possession.
He now faces two felony burglary charges, one felony count of aggravated battery, felony assault on certain personnel, and a felony charge of eluding police.
Kevin Kelly was also arrested on unrelated burglary charges. Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.
The Boise Police Department is handling the investigation into the shooting to prevent a conflict of interest in the case.