BOISE, Idaho — An 8 1/2-year veteran of the Boise Police Department is on paid administrative leave as investigators continue looking into the June 24 incident in downtown Boise that ended with the shooting of 22-year-old Payton Wasson, who died the next day.
The officer who shot Wasson is Officer C. Feldner, the department said Friday in a news release. As is standard following a critical incident, he's on paid administrative leave while investigations by the Critical Incident Task Force and Boise P.D. continue.
Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar spoke to the media Friday afternoon. The department also released this statement from Winegar:
"Saturday’s shooting in downtown Boise was a tragedy for the Wasson family, it was a tragedy for those who were witnesses and for our community. If this incident involved a member of my family, I too would want more information about what happened. We are investigating what happened to ensure integrity and accountability. To that end, an internal investigation is underway.”
Winegar said police did not know Wasson when they confronted him. Because Wasson ran from police and was shot, law enforcement said, questions have arisen as to where Wasson was shot. The Ada County Coroner released that Wasson sustained a gunshot wound to the head, but Winegar said in the press conference that he did not know the location of the wound.
"Anyone running from police with a gun in their hand would be of concern," Winegar told the media. "My heart goes out to the Wasson family. We cannot bring someone back."
The Boise Police Department said it will release more information upon completion of the CITF investigation and review by an out-of-county prosecutor. Winegar stated during a press conference that body camera footage of the incident will not be released at this time.
Here's what police and prosecutors have said so far about what happened:
- At about 1 a.m. Saturday, June 24, near 5th and Idaho streets, Boise Police officers were investigating "a situation involving individuals and a vehicle involved in what officers believed were gang activity and/or narcotic sales."
- Officers identified the owner of the vehicle of Mario Garza. Police said on request from Garza's Probation and Parole officer, Boise Police officers searched Garza and his vehicle. According to the police department, the officers who searched Garza's person found fentanyl pills. Garza, a 26-year-old man from Kuna, is charged with possession of a controlled substance, a felony.
- 7Investigates listened to the arraignment of Garza from Monday in which prosecutors said police saw Garza near his car wearing clothing that appeared to be gang-affiliated.
- State prosecutors said during Garza's arraignment that police observed a handgun on the floor of the passenger side of his vehicle after Garza walked away from the car. They discovered he was not allowed to have the gun because he was on parole.
- Police waited for Garza to return to the car and he approached with two other people, prosecutors said. One of those individuals, police say, was Wasson.
- Officers tried to contact Garza, Wasson and another unnamed person when they returned to the vehicle. Prosecutors say Wasson and that second individual left the car with a backpack and a gun.
- Officers chased Wasson down the street and gave commands for him to stop. According to preliminary information Boise Police released just a few hours after the incident, Wasson disregarded those commands and one Boise Police officer fired his gun.
- According to the Ada County Coroner's report, Wasson was shot in the head.
- Officers "immediately began life-saving care while others secured the scene." Ada County Paramedics took the man to the hospital, where he died on Sunday, June 25.
- Boise Police said a firearm was found next to Wasson after he was shot.
- No officers were physically injured in the incident.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean also posted a statement about the shooting on Twitter:
"Payton Wasson's death is a tragedy, and his family is grieving a world-shattering loss. I stand with Chief Winegar's commitment to pursuing urgent and appropriate accountability, and know our community expects nothing less."
A rally in honor of Wasson is being held at Boise City Hall at 6 p.m. Friday night.
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