A man was killed and an off-duty Nez Perce Tribal Police officer was wounded following a shooting Wednesday afternoon in the Lewiston Orchards.
Officer Josh Rigney was at his home on the 3500 block of 11th Street when 36-year-old Daniel Cook Jr. of Lewiston drove by his house and opened fire. Rigney was shot twice and traded gunfire with Cook according to witnesses of the incident.
Cook fled from the scene after the exchange, leading police on a chase that also involved shots fired through the Orchards. Authorities have identified a minimum of four crime scenes total. Cook was finally stopped in front of the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds on Burrell Avenue. Lewiston police officers engaged Cook, who was hit multiple times.
Both Rigney and the Cook were taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical center. Rigney’s condition is now listed as fair, while Cook succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Burrell Avenue was shut down from Thain Road to past the fairgrounds for several hours while the scene was investigated.
Four Lewiston Police Officers involved in the shooting have been placed on special leave by department policy and protocol.
Several law enforcement agencies have been assisting in the investigation which is now under the direction of the Idaho State Police. (Lewiston Tribune, Idaho State Police, Lewiston Police Department)
