New details emerge about weekend alleyway shooting in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — New details have been released describing what police say happened minutes before a man was shot multiple times in downtown Idaho Falls.
Logan Stephens, 23, has been charged with felony aggravated battery and an enhancement for using a firearm as a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
According to court documents, an Idaho Falls Police detective was called to an area near Capitol Avenue on Saturday night around 12:25 a.m.
The police report said there had been a shooting incident in the parking lot of the Melaleuca building at 330 North Capital Avenue that had progressed into the adjacent alley.
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When he arrived, the detective spoke with a woman who said she had previous personal issues with Stephens.
Around 11:30 p.m., she was in the parking lot walking toward the alley when she reportedly saw Stephens and his girlfriend. The three began a physical argument, and several bystanders jumped in to break up the fight.
An IFPD officer spoke to a man who intervened in the fight, who said he was trying to stop Stephens from attacking the woman.
According to the man, he pushed Stephens off the woman, and Stephens advanced toward him before pulling out a knife, causing the man to take his phone out and start recording.
At this point, court documents say Stephens ran down the alley and got a handgun from his car, putting it in his waistband.
Stephens reportedly began to walk back toward the man, who says he told Stephens he “did not want trouble and was just going to video what was going on.”
Stephens then pointed the gun at the man and shot him multiple times in his leg, abdomen, and arm.
The man was later taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for surgery to repair the gunshot wounds. According to a release from IFPD, the victim was expected to survive his injuries, but there is no further information on his condition.
The detective spoke to Stephens about the incident, who said the woman and his girlfriend got into a physical fight in the alleyway, and he tried to break it up until the victim came up to him and punched him in the face.
According to Stephens, he and the victim “pushed each other” before Stephens picked up his girlfriend and walked back toward his car.
Stephens says the group of people continued to follow him down the alley, and “due to the yelling and the fact that (the victim) was challenging him to fight,” he got a gun out of the car.
Stephens stated he saw the victim “place his hand inside his pocket” so he fired the gun “out of fear that (the victim) had a weapon.”
When the detective asked if the victim had threatened to use or shown a weapon, Stephens said no. He also admitted he never saw the victim or anyone else involved “with a weapon of any kind in a threatening manner.”
Stephens reportedly said he did not know if the victim had a weapon, so he “assumed he did” and shot him multiple times. Detectives later found spent shell casings from Stephens’ gun that were in front of and to the right of Stephens’ car.
Stephens was then arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on a bond of $300,000. He is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on July 12. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison.