Sheriff releases names in officer-involved shooting

SANDPOINT - The Bonner County Sheriff's Office identified on Tuesday the Sandpoint Police officers involved in the shooting death outside Bonner General Health on July 8.

The officers are identified as Skylar Ziegler, Michael Valenzuela and Garrett Johnson. Valenzuela has been on the force for five years. Ziegler and Johnson have been on the force for 3.5 years and 1.5 years, respectively, sheriff's Detective Sgt. Gary Johnston said in a news release.

Johnson was undergoing field training at the time of the shooting, the news release said.

The officers' respective roles in the incident were not disclosed on Tuesday. It was also undisclosed who discharged their service weapons during the confrontation with Jeanetta Marie Riley.

Riley, formerly known as Jeanetta Maddox, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a Bonner EMS log. Riley, a 35-year-old wife and mother from rural Priest River, died in the shooting.

Scant new details about the incident were contained in the latest update released by the sheriff's office.

Officers were summoned to BGH at 9:12 p.m., after dispatchers received a report of a weapons offense in front of the facility's emergency entrance in the 500 block of North Third Avenue.

Officers encountered Riley as she emerged from a white van. Riley was armed with a knife and "engaged" officers, Johnston said in the news release.

"Riley was non-compliant, refused to stop her approach. She refused to drop the knife. As a result of Riley's action, officers used deadly force to stop the threat," Johnston said in the news release.

Johnston declined on Tuesday to elaborate beyond what was contained in the news release because the investigation is still ongoing.

"We're still working on it virtually every minute of every day," said Johnston. "There's only so much that I can let out when the case is under investigation."

The investigation is being conducted in accord with the Critical Incident Task Force protocol. The task force is a consortium of law enforcement agencies in the Panhandle.

The protocol is meant to bring impartiality and continuity to the investigation, Johnston said.

The Bonner County Sheriff's Office has been designated the lead agency. Johnston said other agencies, such as the Coeur d'Alene Police Department, are also involved in the shooting review.

The three officers involved in the incident are on paid leave, a standard practice in officer-involved shootings, while internal and external investigations are being conducted.

"Until those are completed, they'll be on administrative leave," Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon said on Tuesday.

The shooting has created a distinct divide within the community.

Although only a limited amount of information about what transpired has been released, it has not stopped some from forming strong opinions. Some contend the officers' actions were justified, while others assert they were patently unjustified.

Coon acknowledged there is heated debate about the officers' actions, but reserved comment on what happened until more of the investigation is complete.

* Those with information about the incident are asked to call Johnston at 263-8417, extension 3058.