Boise man was killed by police after injuring K9 dogs. Now, family plans to sue

Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — On an early January morning, constabulary recovered Jeremiah Gaver wandering successful Boise, “covered successful a tarp and holding a cane, looking complete fences into nan backyards of homes,” according to a January news merchandise from nan Ada County Sheriff’s Office.

The business quickly escalated. Police released K9 dogs. And officers fatally changeable nan 37-year-old man, who had stabbed nan dogs and refused to driblet his knife, according to nan Sheriff’s Office.

Now, Gaver’s father, Peter, has notified nan Boise Police Department and Ada County Sheriff’s Office of his intent to writer pinch tort claims against nan agencies. The claims were revenge successful early May and obtained by nan Idaho Statesman done nationalist records requests.

Peter successful nan claims accused nan officers who fatally changeable his boy of committing “homicide.”

“Allegedly (Jeremiah) did not comply pinch their demands to show them who he was aliases what he was doing, which past resulted successful nan constabulary taking his life,” he wrote successful nan declare against Ada County. “My boy … received aggregate gunshot wounds by rule enforcement.”

The Boise Police Department and nan Ada County Sheriff’s Office declined to remark for this story, citing pending litigation. The Boise Police Department identified Camron Johnson, an eight-year seasoned of nan agency, as 1 of nan officers who fired astatine Gaver. The Ada County sheriff’s spokesperson Lauren Montague declined to place nan deputies progressive successful nan shooting and said nan agency won’t merchandise names until nan investigation is complete.

Police that time utilized K9 dogs, a bean-bag firearm and tasers to effort to subdue and apprehension Gaver, who tried to tally away, stabbed nan dogs and refused officers’ demands to driblet nan weapon he was holding, according to nan Sheriff’s Office. Four sheriff’s deputies and 1 Boise constabulary serviceman yet fired their weapons astatine Gaver, who was declared dormant astatine a infirmary hours later.

At a March protestation for victims of constabulary shootings, Gaver’s sister, Anna Carstensen, called for nan body-camera footage to beryllium made nationalist and said nan communicative of nan shooting was a “one-sided tale.” Treasure Valley rule enforcement agencies don’t merchandise body-camera footage aliases reports connected constabulary shootings until nan investigations are finalized, typically a monthslong process.

Carstensen declined to remark for this story. The Statesman besides reached retired to Gaver’s begetter for further comment.

The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force, which is composed of 5 rule enforcement agencies, gets activated for immoderate constabulary shooting occurring successful nan county, and 1 of nan extracurricular agencies is tasked pinch investigating nan incident. The Meridian Police Department conducted nan investigation into Gaver’s shooting and provided its materials to nan Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office, Stephany Galbreaith, nan constabulary department’s spokesperson, told nan Statesman.

The Owyhee County Prosecutor’s Office will reappraisal nan materials and find whether nan officers were justified successful shooting Gaver.