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December 23rd, 2025
UPDATED NEWS RELEASE
As Detectives from the East Idaho Critical Incident Team continue investigating the shooting incident from Dec. 17th on N . County Line Rd., the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is providing the following updated information:
The subject in question was identified as 26-year-old Landon Smith of Madison County. Mr. Smith was being sought in connection with a domestic disturbance and theft of a vehicle earlier that evening. Information passed to area Law Enforcement indicated Mr. Smith wanted to harm himself.
During the incident Mr. Smith suffered a life threatening gunshot wound, was treated on scene by Deputies, and arriving Ambulance Personnel who transported him to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (ERMIC). On Sunday Dec. 21st Mr. Smith was declared brain dead by medical staff, and officially declared deceased on Monday Dec. 22nd.
Our thoughts are with the families of those involved. This investigation is ongoing and more information will be released at a later time.
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Original Release:
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December 17, 2025
NEWS RELEASE
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies were involved in a shooting early this morning with a man being sought for his involvement in a physical domestic and a stolen vehicle in Madison County. Just after 3:30 am, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office advised they were looking for a man who been involved in a physical domestic earlier in the night and then stole a vehicle from another residence. The man was believed to be armed and there were indications his intent was to commit suicide by a police officer. Madison County Deputies had found information indicating the man may be in the Idaho Falls area and requested assistance searching for him.
Earlier in the evening, approximately 11pm (Dec. 16th), Deputies had encountered a man driving the vehicle in question in a reckless manner with no lights on near S. Ammon Rd. and 49th S. The circumstances surrounding the vehicle or the Madison County incident were not known at that time. As a Deputy attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed and the stop was discontinued for safety reasons.
As the search continued, Madison County Deputies received information just after 5:30am the man was near 17th St. and Ammon Rd. Deputies responding to the area noticed the vehicle on Ammon Rd. traveling northbound at a high rate of speed with no headlights on, almost striking other vehicles and going over the roundabout island at Ammon Rd. and Lincoln Rd. Deputies attempted get behind and stop the vehicle but lost sight of it weaving in and out of traffic in the dark.
Moments later a Deputy in an unmarked patrol car spotted the vehicle in the City of Ucon, still traveling with no lights on and weaving into oncoming lanes of traffic. The Deputy followed the vehicle on N. Yellowstone to County Line Rd. where the vehicle turned east, until more patrol cars could get to the area.
As the vehicle was approaching 95th E., a Deputy attempted to stop it using a PIT technique, which turned the vehicle off the side of the road and into the gutter. The driver began firing rounds and two of the Deputies returned fire. The driver was injured and Deputies provided medical assistance until ambulance personnel arrived.
No other occupants were in the vehicle, and the driver was transported by Idaho Falls Ambulance to East Idaho Regional Medical Center with life threatening injuries. None of the Deputies involved were injured during the incident.
Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse requested assistance from the East Idaho Critical Incident Team to investigate the incident. The Bingham County/Blackfoot Police Investigations team are leading the investigation with assistance from multiple area agencies. The East Idaho Critical Incident Team is made up of Detectives and resources from multiple City, County, and State Law Enforcement agencies across East Idaho, utilized to investigate critical incidents and shootings involving Law Enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.
