Idaho resort town shootout kills suspect, wounds 2 officers

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SPOKANE, Wash. —  A suspect died and two police officers were wounded in a shootout early Monday in the lakeside Idaho resort town of Sandpoint, authorities said.

The shootout happened at about 3 a.m. after the officers responded to a call from a home and started talking with the person who made the call, Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon told reporters.

While they were talking, a man came out of the home and opened fire at the officers, hitting both of them, Coon said. The officers fired back, he said.

The officers were identified Monday afternoon as Eric Clark and Michael Hutter, according to Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton.

She identified the suspect as 28-year-old Brandon Kuhlman of Sandpoint.

Stapleton said Clark was shot in the neck and hand and that he had undergone two surgeries Monday. He was in recovery in a hospital in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Monday afternoon, she said.

Hutter was shot in the leg and chest, was treated at a local hospital and released Monday, according to Stapleton.

She said Kuhlman began firing at the officers within seconds of their arrival and that the officers sought cover and returned fire when Kuhlman “actively engaged the officers a second time.”

Investigating officers found Kuhlman deceased in the residence, Stapleton said. An autopsy is planned for Tuesday.

The North Idaho Critical Incident Task Force is leading the investigation, Stapleton said.

A charter school near the Ridley Village neighbourhood of Sandpoint where the shootout happened decided to cancel classes, Coon said.

Sandpoint is a town of about 7,000 residents on Lake Pend Oreille surrounded by the Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges and is home to the Schweitzer Mountain Resort ski area.

It’s about 90 miles (145 kilometres) northeast of Spokane, Washington