A multi-agency task force has concluded their investigation of the Jan. 7 incident where a 37-year-old Meridian man killed himself during an Internet enticement operation.
Officials with the Ada County Coroner’s office determined Kirk Wilkinson committed suicide when he shot himself in the head on Jan. 7 — a conclusion supported by investigators with the multi-agency critical incident task force, led by Boise Police.
At the time of his death, Wilkinson had arranged to meet who he believed to be a 13-year-old girl for sex in an east Boise parking lot. He shot himself when he saw Ada County Sheriff’s deputies were there instead.
While the task force investigation is done, detectives are still checking into Wilkinson’s activities prior to his death.
Ada County Sheriff’s detectives began their investigation in November after answering an ad on Craigslist where a man was soliciting sex from teenage girls.
ACSO detectives communicated with the man, later identified as Wilkinson, over email and then by text message before arranging to meet Jan. 7.
When he arrived at the parking lot, Wilkinson saw deputies in the parking lot and attempted to drive away.
Deputies were able to box the car in so he could not leave. At that point, several deputies got out of their cars, began walking towards the Wilkinson’s car, and yelled for him to get out.
Deputies then saw Wilkinson searching for something in his car. That’s when deputies saw him pull out a handgun, point it at his head, and fire.
Some deputies drew their handguns after they saw Wilkinson with his handgun — but none of the deputies fired.
The crime of enticement of children over the internet is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and requires anyone convicted to have to register as a sex offender.
The Ada County Sheriff¹s detective in charge of the case works with the Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force, a statewide coalition of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies focused on apprehending and prosecuting people who use the internet to criminally exploit children.