BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Department of Correction officer Christopher Wilske has filed a claim against the Boise Police Department, seeking $500,000 in damages after being shot by a BPD officer during a prison escape earlier this year.
- The incident occurred at Saint Alphonsus in Boise when inmate Skylar Meade and his accomplice, Nicholas Umphenour, ambushed officers escorting Meade for medical treatment.
- Two correctional officers were injured by Umphenour in the attack, and Wilske sustained gunshot injuries after being mistaken for the shooter.
- Meade and Umphenour were later captured and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the escape and shooting.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Earlier this year, Idaho inmate Skylar Meade and his accomplice, Nicholas Umphenour, made national headlines after they orchestrated a coordinated attack to break Meade out of prison.
The plan unfolded at Saint Alphonsus in Boise in the early morning hours of March 20, where Meade was escorted by three IDOC officers for medical treatment.
Upon their exit, Umphenour opened fire, injuring two correctional officers—Daniel Lopez and Elijah Jackson.
When Boise police responded to reports of an active shooter, a BPD officer shot and injured IDOC officer Christopher Wilske, mistaking him for the gunman.
Wilske is now filing a claim against the Boise Police Department, asking for at least $500,000 in damages for the injuries he sustained.
In his claim, Wilske says, "While on duty as a corporal for the Idaho Department of Correction, I was shot by a Boise Police officer following an incident where my officers and I were attacked."
He says injuries from the gunshot left him with damage to his eyes and vision, migraines, and fractured facial bones.
The officer who pulled the trigger has been identified as Wayne Anderson, who has 27 years of law enforcement experience and has been with BPD for 12 years.
The shootout was part of a larger escape attempt by Meade, who was serving a 10-year sentence.
With the help of Umphenour, the two ambushed the correctional officers and were arrested days later in Twin Falls.
Meade and Umphenour have since been sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the escape and shooting. They are also accused of killing a North Idaho man, James Mauney, during their time on the run.
They’ve been indicted in Nez Perce County, with an investigation ongoing for another homicide out of Clearwater County.
The officer-involved shooting is still under investigation by the Ada County Critical Incident Task Force.
IDOC declined to comment on the claim at this time, and no further updates have been provided by the Boise Police Department.
