Boise, Idaho — On January 24, 2024, at about midnight, Ada County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Colton McKone observed 37-year-old Jeremiah Gaver near the intersection of W. Amity Road and S. Cole Road in Boise.
Gaver was wearing a tarp and holding an object in his hand. Deputy McKone observed Gaver loitering near closed businesses in the area. Deputy McKone attempted to make contact with Gaver but he was not responsive and Gaver walked away. Deputy McKone continued to observe Gaver from a distance. Gaver continued his suspicious behavior including looking through fences into the backyard of residences. Deputy McKone advised dispatch that he and Deputy Michael MacLeod would be conducting a citizen stop based on his observations. Upon making contact, Deputy McKone told Gaver why he was being stopped. Deputy McKone observed Gaver holding an object, later determined to be a cane, in his left hand.
Gaver refused to identify himself. For several minutes, Deputies MacLeod and McKone asked Gaver his name and attempted to gain his compliance. His right hand was obscured underneath the tarp. Gaver was moving his right hand underneath the tarp and appeared to be grabbing for something. He did not comply with multiple commands to show his hands and drop what he was holding. Additional ACSO deputies and Boise Police Department officers arrived on scene. Deputy Jonathon Faddis was equipped with a less-lethal bean bag gun. He advised Gaver that he was detained and that the bean bag gun may be used if he didn’t show his hands. Gaver repeatedly refused to follow commands. He removed his right hand from the tarp on multiple occasions, only to put his right hand back under the tarp. For almost a half hour, deputies asked Gaver to comply with their commands to keep his hands visible and to remove the tarp obstructing their view. After initially sitting down as directed, Gaver stood up again.
At that time, Gaver was told he was under arrest and that bean bag rounds and a K-9 would be deployed if he did not comply. Deputy Faddis provided Gaver a final warning before deploying two bean bag rounds. Deputy Jon McGee also released his apprehension dog, K-9 Astrid. Gaver fought with the K-9. It was learned moments later that Gaver was armed with a knife and had stabbed K-9 Astrid. Gaver shed the tarp and started running across an empty field. Gaver ran across the empty field in the direction of a gas station. Deputies and officers gave Gaver multiple commands to drop the knife as he ran across the empty field. Additional bean bag rounds were deployed. Gaver ran east across Cole Rd. into a parking lot. Deputies deployed multiple taser rounds to no effect as Gaver swept away the taser wires with his cane. Gaver left the parking lot and walked north across Amity Rd. Gaver fell to the sidewalk after a successful taser deployment.
Operating under the belief that Gaver had dropped the knife when he fell, Officer Connor Rush deployed his apprehension dog, K-9 Meko. Gaver had not dropped the knife and repeatedly stabbed K-9 Meko. Officer Rush moved forward to protect K-9 Meko but backed away when Gaver swiped at him with the knife. Gaver began to get to his feet while continuing to hold the knife. Four deputies discharged their service weapons. Deputies attempted to render medical aid to Gaver, however, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene. K-9 Astrid and K-9 Meko both suffered multiple stab wounds and were taken to an emergency animal hospital for treatment. After being treated for severe injuries and lengthy recoveries, both K-9s were able to return to service. This case was investigated by the Ada County Critical Incident Task Force which conducts independent investigations of all uses of lethal force in Ada County. The Owyhee County Prosecuting Attorney completed the legal review of this incident and found the deputies and officers involved in the incident should not be charged with any criminal act.
