FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | January 24, 2023 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. Ethan Byrd – Sentencing |
BOISE – On Tuesday, 28-year-old Ethan Byrd was sentenced to prison for a road rage incident and shooting a man outside of a Boise concert venue.
Mr. Byrd was sentenced in two cases that occurred in September 2021 less than 30 minutes apart from each other. Honorable Ada County District Judge Cynthia Yee-Wallace sentenced Mr. Byrd to up to 30 years in prison, with seven years fixed before being eligible for parole.
In the first incident, law enforcement was dispatched to a report of a man, later identified as Mr. Byrd, who was swerving his vehicle at the victim’s vehicle, and making gestures as if he had a firearm. The victims reported seeing a firearm, and Mr. Byrd was charged with aggravated assault following that incident.
Shortly after the first dispatch call came in, a Boise Police Patrol Officer spotted a man matching the calling party’s description yelling to others outside a Boise concert venue. The officer then heard a gunshot and saw Mr. Byrd holding a firearm. Mr. Byrd immediately fled the scene on foot, and was apprehended by police moments later near the venue.
After conducting an investigation, law enforcement determined Mr. Byrd fired his gun at a music performer, who was hit in the leg and injured. The victim told police he noticed the defendant acting aggressively outside the venue, and when the victim spotted the gun, he rushed the defendant to stop him from shooting and injuring more people. Law enforcement found two firearms, and additional loaded magazines in the defendant’s possession during their investigation.
In August 2022, a jury found Mr. Byrd guilty of aggravated battery, with an enhancement for using a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime, and misdemeanor concealed carry under the influence. After the trial, Mr. Byrd pled guilty to the aggravated assault for threatening those in the vehicle.
“Without the watchful eye and brave actions of the victim, this shooting could have turned out very differently. His heroic actions no doubt saved lives and prevented others from being injured. We are grateful to the victim for his courage and for the Boise Police Patrol Officers’ quick response at the scene. I also want to thank the Boise Police Detectives for their thorough investigation,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts.