Officers cleared of wrongdoing in shooting death of a suicidal man

IDAHO FALLS — A special prosecutor has determined that no crime was committed in the shooting of a suicidal Idaho Falls man.

On Oct. 18, Idaho Falls Police Officers shot and killed 29-year-old Malachii Alexander Crane.

After an extensive investigation into the shooting by the Eastern Idaho Critical Incident Task Force, made up of individuals outside of the IFPD, Jefferson County Prosecutor Paul Butikofer found that the three officers involved did not act criminally and no charges will be filed.

Police reports show one of Crane’s friends called 911 on the night of Oct. 18, around 10:45 and told dispatchers that Crane was suicidal and had a gun with him. IFPD officers were quickly sent to the area of 25th Street and Higbee in Idaho Falls to check on Crane.

When officers arrived, they found Crane fast asleep in his car. The car’s doors were locked and officers could see a bottle of vodka in the car. IFPD Chief Bryce Johnson explained the presence of alcohol as well as other factors contributed to why officers stayed at the scene.

“Where this was not a secure scene. It was a public scene, out in the public, as well as the question of whether there was any alcohol involved, (officers are) going to stay there until its conclusion,” Johnson said during a news conference Thursday.

The officers knocked on the windows and shined their flashlights into the car, trying to wake Crane up. After a couple of minutes, Crane began to stir but refused to open the door or even crack the window to talk to the officers. Even after they assured him that he wasn’t in trouble and that some of his friends were there, he wouldn’t talk to them.

“There are repeated requests … you hear them say ‘just crack the window, we’re not going to arrest you. We just want to help you,’ over and over and over again,” Johnson said.

Body camera footage, reviewed by EastIdahoNews.com, shows Crane start his car and the officers caution him not to drive away. He doesn’t, but as the officers continue to try to talk to him he can be seen turning up his radio. After 10 minutes since Crane woke up, he still refuses to talk.

By this time other law enforcement arrive at the scene. Officers have seen Crane’s gun holstered or tucked into the back of his pants but he hasn’t made any move to reach for it so officers continue to try to talk to him.

He continues to ignore their requests to roll down the window or open the door and the officers eventually tell him that they will break the window if they have to.

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The situation escalates when Crane appears to try and drive away again putting his car in reverse. As he does, he appears to reach behind where officers know his gun is. They pull their firearms but don’t shoot and Crane turns back around.

They keep trying to talk to him but he just yells at them from inside the car and refuses to cooperate.

That’s when they decide to break the window.

As they break the window, dashcam footage shows Crane grab his gun and swing it around in front of himself. Three officers immediately open fire.

In a matter of thee seconds, they fired 17 rounds into the car. Ten of those rounds struck Crane the other seven lodged into the car.

Crane fired one round.

Emergency responders rushed Crane to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

“The round that Malachii fired ends up grazing his head. It is unknown if he was trying to shoot himself or if he was trying to shoot at the officer. We will never really know what he was shooting at,” Johnson said.

The officers involved were Sgt. Jed Lewis, Courtney Sato and Stetson Belnap. All three were placed on leave and did not return to duty until February.

“In order for my office to bring a charge, the charge(s) must be supported by probable cause,” Butikofer wrote in his decision not to file charges against the officers. “Given the rapid development of the situation and potentially lethal consequences of delayed decision making, the officers’ perception that Crane’s resistance posed a threat of death or serious bodily injury is supported by the facts.”

Johnson said he wishes situations like this would never happen.

“(Crane) is a real human being and his family are real human beings. It’s really traumatic for them. Those officers that are involved in the shooting. It is incredibly traumatic for them. They are real human beings with real families,” Johnson said. “Everyone is damaged through this.”