Man who police think died in PF shootout wanted for assaulting religious group

The 53-year-old man who likely died during a standoff with police this week in Post Falls was wanted for failing to appear at his sentencing hearing after being convicted for assaulting a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Thomas W. Boland, who police said fired at a Post Falls police sergeant Tuesday as he attempted to serve a $7,500 misdemeanor arrest warrant, was convicted by a jury two years ago of two misdemeanor counts of assault for threatening to kill a group of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Police are waiting for an autopsy report to learn if the body officers found inside Boland’s 111 Bentley Place residence was Boland.

Boland allegedly fired on Post Falls Police Sgt. Justin Anderson around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday as Anderson was serving the warrant. One bullet struck Anderson in the abdomen. He is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Police did not say if Boland was struck, but the man they believed to be Boland returned to the residence after firing at the sergeant. He stayed inside as SWAT members for several hours urged him to come out.

His son came out of the residence, and police who eventually checked inside the house said a man lay dead surrounded by firearms.

Coeur d’Alene Police Capt. David Hagar said Thursday that agencies were still waiting to learn the man’s identity.

“The identity is still pending based on the coroner exam,” Hagar said. “We hoped to know early next week.”

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department has taken over investigation.

According to court records, Boland in the spring of 2018 confronted a group of door-to-door proselytizers at his Bentley Place home near downtown Post Falls. He repeatedly swung his fists into the face of at least one of the members and threatened to shoot the men and children who handed out religious pamphlets, court documents said.

Boland allegedly told the church members, “I know where you guys meet and I am going to do to you what they did in Texas,” according to a court document.

Several months earlier in a New Braunfels, Texas, Baptist church, 26 people were shot to death, and 20 others wounded in what has been called the deadliest mass shooting in Texas.

Mark Prochnau, one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who handed out pamphlets in Boland’s neighborhood in March 2018, told a jury that Boland swung his fists at Prochnau, stopping just short of his face, while screaming at him.

“He was acting out of his mind,” Prochnau told a Coeur d’Alene jury in November of that year.

Boland represented himself in court, but a public defender had been assigned to guide his defense.

Prochnau said he feared for his life.

“He told me if I called the cops I would beg him to kill me quicker,” Prochnau said.

Several witnesses from the same church who were also handing out pamphlets in the neighborhood gave similar testimony.

“The whole time I was scared and nervous,” Thadius Rolls said. “It was life-threatening.”

The jury found Boland guilty on both assault counts and First District Magistrate Timothy Van Valin ordered Boland to have a psychological evaluation.

Because Boland was unemployed, Van Valin said the state would help pay for an evaluation.

“Sounds like you could use a leg up,” Van Valin said, telling Boland an evaluation would help him determine the best sentence for the defendant.

“Based on the testimony the court has some concerns about your temper,” Van Valin said. “I would like to know, so I can make a good judgment and tailor something to fit your needs.”

Boland failed to appear at his Feb. 26, 2019, sentencing and a $7,500 bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

He hadn’t appeared in court for more than a year before police tried picking him up this week.

Post Falls Police Chief Pat Knight said Thursday that his officer is in good condition.

“Sgt. Anderson was up and walking a little bit today,” Knight said. “He’s doing well.”