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Joseph Johnson

Gender : Male

Age : 58

Race : White

Date : 02/08/2021

Location : 200 block of South Boulevard

City : Idaho Falls

County : Bonneville

State : Idaho

Agency : Idaho Falls Police Department

Officer(s) :Elias Aurelio Cerdas

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during search for fleeing driver

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On February 8, 2021, Idaho Falls Police officers searched for a man who had fled a traffic stop. During the search, officers entered several backyards in the neighborhood on the 200 block of South Boulevard. Officer Elias Aurelio Cerdasencountered 58-year-old Joseph Johnson in his own backyard and shot him, mistakenly believing he was the fleeing driver. Johnson was unarmed and was not the wanted man but a local homeowner in his own backyard. The wanted man, Tanner Shoesmith, was later found hiding in a nearby shed. In August 2021, Officer Cerdas was indicted on a charge of felony involuntary manslaughter, and in February 2023, Johnson’s family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the Idaho Falls Police Department, alleging excessive force and civil rights violations.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://apnews.com/article/shootings-idaho-police-officer-involved-shootings-4c4f7c71344c5ebda5a207a478b6755d
https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-falls-police-identify-man-shot-by-officer-during-search-for-suspect/article_2c0c73cc-437f-11eb-a52e-5f640fa2f834.html
https://www.postregister.com/news/local/idaho-falls-officer-fatally-shoots-man-during-pursuit-of-different-suspect/article_cdc5e184-68f5-11eb-97a5-0bbd79c2e4e3.html
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/08/i-f-police-officer-who-shot-man-in-backyard-indicted-for-manslaughter/
https://localnews8.com/news/idaho-falls/2023/02/22/family-of-man-killed-in-officer-involved-shooting-sues-idaho-falls-police/