Idaho fatal police shootings surpass 2020 total. Here are all fatal shootings since 2000
Though it’s only September, Idaho police have fatally shot more people in 2021 than in all of 2020. Idaho’s fatal police shooting totals are among the highest in its region as well.
Idaho police have fatally shot nine people in 2021 as of Sept. 1, topping 2020’s statewide total of seven fatal police shootings, according to Idaho Statesman archives, Idaho media outlets and national publications.
The nine people fatally shot this year consist of eight men and one woman. Shootings have occurred across the state, with four fatal shootings taking place in the Treasure Valley (two each in Ada and Canyon counties) and four in East Idaho counties, consisting of Madison, Bingham, Bannock and Bonneville. One police shooting took place in North Idaho on Aug. 7, as police shot and killed a man in Kootenai County.
The most recent shooting took place Aug. 27 when at least one Nampa police officer shot 53-year-old Vladislav Fomin after he allegedly pulled a gun on police.
While Idaho’s population is smaller than some of its neighboring states, the number of fatal police shootings in the Gem State is higher than that of Utah, Nevada and even Washington, according to national databases compiled by The Washington Post and Mapping Police Violence, a research group that tracks fatal police shootings.
Idaho’s nine fatal police shootings are more than Utah (8), Washington (7), Nevada (4), Montana (3) and Wyoming (2), according to the two databases.
Only Oregon has seen more fatal shootings in the region, as 13 fatal shootings have taken place so far in 2021, according to the Washington Post database.
Fatal police shootings were on a downward trend in Idaho following 2018 when the number of fatal shootings jumped to 13. Eight fatal shootings took place in 2019, followed by seven police killings in 2020.
Ada County police shootings have been a particular focus in 2021, both fatal and non-fatal. Earlier this year, the shooting of 33-year-old Boise resident Mohamud Mkoma by Boise police prompted community backlash and calls for increased transparency from police departments. Family of Mkoma – a Black African man – accused the police of using excessive force.
Since then, city and county law enforcement have disagreed over whether to release police body camera footage of shootings more quickly.
The Idaho Statesman has kept a running list of fatal police shootings in the state. Since 2000, Idaho police have shot and killed at least 105 people.
In the below database, you will find brief descriptions and other information on Idaho’s fatal police shootings since 2000.