Suspect killed, officer wounded in shootout in Fort Hall

FORT HALL — A 20-year-old suspect is dead after a Friday shootout with local police that left one officer wounded.

The Bingham County Coroner’s Office on Sunday identified the suspect who was shot and killed as Mekalon J. Buckskin, of Fort Hall.

The incident began to unfold around 6:23 p.m. Friday when Fort Hall police received the report of a 20-year-old man, later identified as Buckskin, who was sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl on Batt Lane, authorities said.

When Fort Hall police responded to the residence to investigate, officers were met by a family member who said that Buckskin was not at the residence, though officers did hear movement inside the home, Fort Hall police said in a Saturday news release.

A family member let the officers inside the home, but they were immediately confronted by Buckskin, who was armed with a gun, authorities said.

“Officers told him to drop the gun but he did not comply and he rushed out of the house pointing the gun at one of the officers,” the Fort Hall police news release said.

There was an exchange of gunfire between officers and Buckskin, which resulted in Buckskin and one of the officers being shot.

Lifesaving efforts were administered at the scene but the suspect succumbed to his injuries, according to the news release.

Fort Hall police have not commented on how many times Buckskin or the officer were shot or how many officers discharged their firearms.

The officer was transported to a local hospital where he underwent treatment and was released, the news release said.

The FBI will be leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting and the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting the administrative investigation, the Fort Hall Police news release said.

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the suspect's family and our officers and staff that were involved,” Fort Hall police said in its news release.