Police shooting in Post Falls closes westbound I-90; reports indicate suspect killed

A Post Falls police officer shot and apparently killed a pickup driver who rammed into multiple police cars as officers were pursuing the vehicle Thursday morning.

A person could be seen lying dead next to the truck. Police have not confirmed whether anyone was killed, but said officers were unharmed in the incident.

Officers responded around 8:30 a.m. to hit-and-run crashes near the 300 block of Railroad Avenue in Post Falls, police said in a news release. They found the suspected pickup in the 700 block of Spokane Street, but the driver did not stop and rammed his truck into a patrol car. Police pursued the pickup, which rammed another police car on I-90 at milepost 4 when police fired at the driver, police said.

The pickup’s rear end came to rest on top of the Post Falls police car.

Police closed westbound I-90 west of the Spokane Street interchange in Post Falls and said it would remain closed most of the day. Vehicles were backed up on Seltice Way, where traffic was detoured. Drivers were advised to avoid the area, according to an Idaho State Police news release.

Several agencies were on scene, including a Coeur d’Alene Public Safety Command Center trailer, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Idaho State Police. Yellow tape cordoned off the scene.

Coeur d’Alene police Detective Mario Rios said Coeur d’Alene police is the lead investigative agency. Post Falls police said updates will come from Coeur d’Alene police.