The family of an Idaho man shot and killed by Clearwater County deputies is speaking out, saying he struggled with bipolar disorder and was only a threat to himself, KREM2 reports.
Mike Trappett, 48, was shot 15 times while he was in crisis, holding a knife and threatening to harm himself. According to the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, Trappett was drunk and being aggressive, but his family says the incident could have ended peacefully.
“The police immediately sent out false information about Mike and we would have loved to not have this press conference and to let the investigation happen properly and fully and get those results,” said family attorney Stephen Stubbs told the Lewiston Tribune.
“But immediately after the shooting the police sent out misinformation about Mike being aggressive and really painting Mike in a very bad light. … We couldn’t let that go unanswered.”
Trappett's mom, Jackie, told KREM2 that he was passionate about helping the elderly and was his parent’s primary caregiver. But after his dog died on Jan. 31, Trappett grabbed a knife from his parent’s kitchen.
"His mother called police because she was afraid that Mike would harm himself,” said attorney Stubbs. "He has never had a history of aggression towards others, only to himself."
After deputies arrived and told Jackie to go inside and shut the door, "they shot and killed Mike. 15 shots—10 from one officer, five from the other,” Stubbs said, adding that deputies altered the shooting scene by moving patrol cars before investigators arrived. “That's important because use of force is different if there's other things you can do, like hide behind a car."
"[Deputies] went over to a neighbor's house and pressured the neighbors to say that Mike was aggressive and the family was afraid of him and the neighbors refused,” Stubbs said. “Those are not investigators that are trying to investigate the case. Those are investigators that have come to a conclusion before investigating and are trying to protect their officers."
Watch KREM2's report on the story below:
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