UPDATE: Two women arrested in relation to Tuesday standoff with police; other suspect still on the run
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WEDNESDAY UPDATE
The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department.
Idaho Falls Police have identified two women who were involved in the standoff with police on Tuesday on 9th Street.
The first, Shae Gebert, exited the residence soon after the Idaho Falls Police SWAT team arrived, announced their presence using a public announcement system and directed occupants to exit the residence. Gebert, a 29-year-old female resident of Idaho Falls, was arrested on a felony Bonneville County warrant and nine misdemeanor Bonneville County warrants.
A second person, Presley Peterson, exited later in the incident after SWAT personnel deployed CS gas into the residence. Peterson, a 28-year-old female resident of Lewisville, Idaho, was arrested for two felony Bonneville County warrants, and felony possession of a controlled substance and was taken to the Bonneville County Jail.
John Geyer, who fled the home on 9th Street, has not yet been located.
Idaho Falls Police officers and assisting law enforcement agencies followed Geyer into Bingham County. When the pursuit approached the Shelley City limits, officers discontinued the pursuit due to concerns for the safety of motorists and people in the more populated city area.
Idaho Falls Police officers, Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies, Shelley Police officers, and Bingham County Sheriff’s deputies searched the area where Geyer was last seen and found tracks that indicated the vehicle had driven through a front yard, into a backyard, over a ditch, and onto another property before coming to a stop inside a small shed on a property near the corner of South Lincoln Avenue and East Locust Street in Shelley.
Police confirmed the lockdown of Hobbs Middle School in Shelley was a result of the search for Geyer.
Due to the location of the vehicle and other structures on the property, officers were not able to safely approach the vehicle to determine whether Geyer or anyone else was inside. As a result of the earlier incident involving a firearm and concern for the safety of all involved, officers utilized a 40 millimeter less-lethal round to break a rear window on the vehicle to gain a visual into the vehicle safely. Officers also utilized a flashbang to create a distraction while approaching the vehicle.
Ultimately the vehicle was unoccupied. Law enforcement officers from the involved agencies searched the surrounding area but were unable to locate Geyer.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting incident or the location of Geyer is encouraged to contact the Idaho Falls Police Department at (208) 529-1200 or to report the information to Bonneville County Idaho Falls Crime Stoppers. Information may be reported to Crime Stoppers anonymously. Tipsters that provide information through Crime Stoppers that leads to a successful arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.
TUESDAY UPDATE
The following is an update from the Idaho Falls Police Department.
Around 2 p.m. today, Idaho Falls Police Officers responded to a report of a possible shooting in the area of the 1400 block of Benton Street. Idaho Falls Police Officers responded and found evidence that at least one round had been fired. No injuries have been reported in connection to this shooting at this time.
Witnesses reported seeing the involved people flee the area with one person fleeing into a residence in the 1400 block of 9th Street. Officers surrounded the residence and the Idaho Falls Police SWAT team was activated.
A nearby elementary school, Linden Park Elementary School, was placed on lockdown for a short time as a precaution given the proximity to police operations. School Resource Officers and District 91 Administration worked through releasing children to their parents from the school.
The Idaho Falls and Bonneville County Dispatch Center issued an Alert Sense notification to residents within a quarter mile of the address on 9th Street directing residents to shelter in place. Idaho Falls Police Officers blocked roads in the area of 9th Street, St. Clair Road, Benton Street, and Oxford Drive for the safety of community members in the area and to allow the room necessary for police operations.
While the initial response was occurring, a vehicle was seen leaving the subject residence. Idaho Falls Police Officers attempted to stop the vehicle and detain the people inside pursuant to the investigation. The driver did stop the vehicle, exited, followed instructions from officers and was subsequently detained.
The passenger of the vehicle however moved into the driver’s seat and fled in the vehicle. Idaho Falls Police Officers pursued the vehicle from 9th Street, through Idaho Falls and into Bonneville County, then Bingham County. The vehicle reached speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour. Idaho Falls Police Officers and assisting partner agencies discontinued the pursuit due to safety concerns as the vehicle approached the Shelley city limits.
Idaho Falls Police Officers, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies, Shelley Police Officers, and Bingham County Deputies assisted with a search for the vehicle. The vehicle was located however the suspect was not.
The suspect has been identified as John Geyer, a 25-year-old male resident of Ammon. While it is not clear at this time if he is connected to the shooting that occurred on Benton Street, Geyer does have a current unrelated warrant for his arrest. Anyone with information about Geyer’s whereabouts is encouraged to report the information to police by calling dispatch at (208)529-1200. Information may also be reported to Bonneville County Idaho Falls Crime Stoppers at www.ifcrime.org. Information may be reported anonymously, and tipsters who report through Crime Stoppers with information that leads to a successful arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.
Meanwhile, on 9th Street, the Idaho Falls Police SWAT team attempted to make contact with occupants of the subject residence. Occupants were given many verbal commands over a public address system announcing that the Idaho Falls Police department was outside and that occupants needed to exit the residence. One female exited the residence and was detained at that time. Information was obtained that a second female was still hiding inside the residence and may be armed.
Over the next two hours, the Idaho Falls SWAT team continued to make announcements to any occupants of the residence directing them to exit. SWAT officers deployed a gas into the residence multiple times to encourage any occupants to exit. Eventually, the female exited the residence and was also detained. A Police K9 from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist with clearing the residence.
Idaho Falls Police Officers did not utilize any lethal munitions at any time during the incident. There were no injuries to police officers or to subjects during these operations.
Roadways in the area were reopened at approximately 6:30 p.m. and the shelter in place directions were lifted. While many officers cleared the scene at that time, others remained on scene for a time afterwards concluding operations. As of 9 p.m., all officers have left the scene.
Additional information is expected to be released on Wednesday, May 4.
The Idaho Falls Police Department would like to thank residents in the area and parents of children at Linden Elementary School for their patience and understanding throughout this incident. While there were exceptions, the vast majority of residents and community members in the area were very accommodating and understanding of the necessary impact to the area.
The Idaho Falls Police Department, Idaho Falls Fire Department, and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office utilize a public alert system called Alert Sense during public safety incidents to relay information from first responders to residents in the immediate vicinity. Community members are encouraged to sign up for these alerts at www.idahofallspolice.com.
ORIGINAL STORY
IDAHO FALLS – Police have detained three people following an incident in an Idaho Falls neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
The Idaho Falls Police Department responded to the 1400 block of Benton Street around 2 p.m. after reports of gunshots being fired.
A section of Benton Street, 9th Street, St. Claire and Oxford Drive were blocked off as the investigation got underway, according to IFPD spokeswoman Jessica Clements.
Idaho Falls School District 91 spokeswoman Margaret Wimborne also confirmed Linden Park Elementary, which is in that neighborhood, was placed on lockdown around 2:10 p.m. as a precautionary measure. Parents were cleared to go and pick up their kids at the school around 3 p.m.
As of 6:15 p.m., Clements says the situation has been resolved. Roads in the area are back open.
“No injuries have been reported from the original incident, and no officers or subjects were injured during police operations,” IFPD writes in a Facebook post.
Some officers are expected to remain in the area for a while to finish up the investigation.