The Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney determined that the actions of the Boise Police officer who shot and injured Jeremy Waste on November 21, 2022, were justified under Idaho law.
“We appreciate the comprehensive investigation and thorough review of the incident by the Ada County Critical Incident Task Force (CITF) led by the Meridian Police Department and the Twin Falls County Prosecutor, and we are grateful the officers involved were able to return home to their families that day,” said Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar.
Police began looking for Jeremy Waste on November 18, 2022, after evidence showed he stabbed a family member multiple times before fleeing the scene. The family member survived, and the investigation was ongoing to locate Waste.
On November 21, 2022, officers obtained a warrant for Waste’s arrest on charges of aggravated battery. Around 4:45 pm on November 21, 2022, officers received information that Waste was on Red Cedar Lane and multiple officers responded to serve the warrant. Officers spread out looking for Waste when one officer located Waste near a bike/pedestrian trail and ordered him to stop. Waste attempted to flee on a bicycle and fell down. Waste yelled, "I want to get shot, I want to go to heaven," then charged at the officer. Waste brandished a knife while chasing the officer, but the officer was able to utilize a police vehicle as cover, continuing to adjust his position to maintain a buffer between him and Waste while trying to convince Waste to drop the knife. A second officer was responding down a nearby hillside when Waste turned and aggressed the second officer with the knife. That officer fired two shots at Waste, striking him.
“The facts in this case reveal that Boise Police Officers were legally attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Waste for violent felonies. When encountered by police, Jeremy Waste was armed with a knife which he brandished, and threatened and chased officers with. At the time he was shot, Waste was advancing with the knife towards the officer who shot him. Therefore, when deadly force was used against Waste, the Officer was not only lawfully attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a violent felon and defending another law enforcement officer, but was acting in self-defense against a present threat to himself.” - Grant Loebs, Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney
Waste was treated and released from the hospital and charged with multiple crimes. He plead guilty to assault or battery upon certain personnel and to the enhancement for using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony and was sentenced to prison for 20 years, (10 fixed) on August 21, 2023. Waste was also sentenced to 30 years (10 fixed, to run concurrently) for Aggravated Battery (against the family member).
Boise Police Department on body video of the officer-involved shooting portion of the police response can be found here: https://youtu.be/G7hItO6cYG4
Notes about the video:
- The provided videos stop before showing the injured suspect.
- The attached video is being made available by the Boise Police Department to provide video relevant to the incident that was under investigation.
- Additional video and information is available to request through the Public Records Request process (PRR).