FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :    Tuesday, June 18, 2013
CONTACT:  Sara Rabern (605)773-3215   

 
Attorney General’s Office to Review Officer Involved Shooting in Rapid City
 

PIERRE, S.D.  – Attorney General Marty Jackley confirms that the Division of Criminal Investigation, at the request of the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, is investigating the officer involved shooting that occurred June 17, 2013. The incident took place near South Dakota Highway 1416 and 164th Avenue in rural Pennington County. The suspect, Travis Will Ross, 43, has been admitted to the hospital for gunshot wounds.
                                          
The incident began after a call to Emergency Services Communications Center of a possible intoxicated driver on Interstate 90.  A Pennington County Sheriff’s Office deputy located the vehicle and a pursuit ensued. Shortly thereafter, a second Pennington County Sheriff’s deputy and a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper became involved in the pursuit. Spike strips were deployed and a felony stop was conducted. The incident escalated when Ross produced a weapon, which resulted in Pennington County Deputies Robert Schoeberl and Jamin Hartland and South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper Clayton Heinrich firing their duty weapons striking Ross. 

Ross currently has an active warrant for a parole violation. He was paroled from a felony DUI conviction on November 30, 2012, but listed as an absconder on March 27, 2013. 

At the completion of the investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation will issue a case report and shooting summation to be reviewed by the Attorney General for a final determination on the officers’ use of force. The release of the summary report is anticipated within 30 days.

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