The Blaine County Prosecuting attorney says two officers who shot and killed a woman after she pointed a BB gun at them were justified in their actions.
Police say 33-year-old Amber Dewitt of Caldwell pointed the gun at an officer standing by her driver's side window. Police believed the weapon was a 9 mm handgun and that she was going to shoot the officers near the driver's side of the vehicle.
On October 24th, the Meridian Police Department, which led the Critical Incident Task Force investigation, issued a news release with photos of the type of BB gun Dewitt was holding, along with images of a similar looking 9mm handgun.
The shooting happened after police responded to a report around 6 a.m. Sunday, October 20, 2019, that a woman was acting suspiciously and knocking on doors in Boise.
Police say they found Dewitt sitting in a vehicle, and she pointed a gun at them when they attempted to make contact.
Authorities say officers opened fire, and Dewitt was pronounced dead at the scene.
“As with any critical incident, this was a very difficult situation for everyone involved. Our hearts go out to all, including the deceased’s family and the officers who were involved,” said Deputy Chief Ron Winegar. “Our officers have hundreds of peaceful interactions with citizens every day. Situations involving the use of deadly force are extremely rare and we are grateful that our officers were not physically injured in this incident.”
