A Star Police deputy has been cleared in the September 2023 officer involved shooting of 41-year-old Christoffer Huffman.
Twin Falls Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs completed the criminal analysis at the request of the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
“I have concluded after reading the reports, reviewing the evidence, conferring with the detectives from the Garden City Police Department who headed up the Critical Incident Task Force investigation, and consulting Idaho Code Sections 18-4009, 18-4011, and 19-202A, that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt against any of the deputies involved in the September 7, 2023, law enforcement use of deadly force against Christoffer T. Huffman,” said Loebs in a letter issued last week.
On September 7, 2023, Star Police deputies were dispatched to a welfare check near Highway 16 and Floating Feather Road.
A calling party told Ada County Dispatch that Huffman had been making suicidal statements and threatening to harm himself. Huffman had sent texts including, “Divorce – Nothing to live for”, “I’m done” and “It’s my time.” Deputies also learned that Huffman wanted police to shoot him.
Deputies located Huffman near a cement manhole in a residential construction area. Deputies attempted to talk to Huffman, who was holding a handgun. Deputies used binoculars and drone footage to get a visual on Huffman. Deputies could see Huffman moving the handgun around and at his head. Deputies could also see bottles of alcohol.
Deputies offered help multiple times and asked Huffman to set the handgun down. This interaction went on for several minutes.
At about 6pm, deputies heard a single gunshot and saw Huffman fall to the ground. They suspected he was injured but could see he was breathing via drone footage.
As deputies moved toward Huffman to render aid, they ordered him to toss the handgun away. Huffman did not comply. This interaction went on for approximately 10 minutes, when Huffman grabbed the handgun, sat up, and yelled at deputies. He did not appear to be injured from the previous gunshot and deputies continued to plead with him to throw the gun away from himself so they could help him. Huffman began waving the handgun around, eventually turning his handgun muzzle in the direction of deputies.
“Holding the gun in the “safe” position, Huffman twice put the gun up to his own head — each time returning it to his lap,” said Loebs. “Then, at 6:18pm, he switched his grip on the gun, placed his finger on the trigger and began to raise the gun, possibly again towards his head, but in a more forward fashion towards the deputies.”
Star Police Deputy Jon Cleveland fired a single round, striking Huffman in the chest.
A short time later, Huffman sat up and held up both of his hands. A team of deputies moved in to take Huffman into custody and render aid. Paramedics were ready on scene to begin medical treatment.
Huffman was transported to the hospital at approximately 7pm. He was pronounced deceased at approximately 8pm. The Ada County Coroner’s Office later determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest.
The incident was investigated by the Ada County Critical Incident Task Force, which provides independent investigation on all lethal uses of force in Ada County. The Garden City Police Department was the lead agency on this case.