Man dies in officer-involved shooting in Coeur d’Alene neighborhood

Police in Coeur d’Alene shot and killed 29-year-old Fares J. Al-Samno on Wednesday morning in a residential neighborhood between Silver Lake Mall and Lake City High School.

Coeur d’Alene police responded to North Pinegrove Drive and West Canfield Avenue to multiple reports of a “disorderly male” who was acting aggressively toward people walking by him at about 9:50 a.m., Coeur d’Alene police Officer Jay Wilhelm said. Police also were warned that he had a knife.

When the first officer arrived, Al-Samno allegedly charged at him with a knife in his hand, according to Wilhelm. The officer was able to disengage until several more officers arrived.

Al-Samno refused commands to drop the knife and continued to aggressively approach the officers as they spoke with him, according to Wilhelm. Officers say they unsuccessfully used beanbag gun rounds and stun guns in attempts to subdue him.

Officers shot Al-Samno when he charged again, according to Wilhelm. Officers and medical personnel gave him medical attention, but he died at the scene.

No officers were injured during the incident, Wilhelm said. He could not say how many officers were involved in the incident.

A Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputy also was at the scene as the incident transpired, but Wilhelm did not know if they fired their weapon. Idaho State Police officers also were involved.

Pheasant Run Condominiums resident Rod Pile said he was leaving the residential area driving south on Pinegrove Drive just before 10 a.m. as a police car followed a man walking north.

“He was kinda walking slow, not looking at any of us,” he said.

Pile said the man, who had been wandering the area since at least Tuesday, had long black hair and a beard.

C.J. Land described a similar man who had been walking the neighborhood the past few days. She said she told her children to stay away from him.

“He looked like he was on something,” she said. “He was hunched over, walking.”

Karen Krosting said she saw a man matching that description talking to himself the past couple of days.

Wilhelm said Al-Samno was from Coeur d’Alene.

Police alerted Lake City High School of the incident nearby, but the school did not go into a lock down, according to Scott Maben, Coeur d’Alene School District spokesperson.

The Post Falls Police Department is investigating the officer-involved shooting.