A Sioux Falls police officer struggles with a suspect who refused commands to leave the vehicle during an incident in Sioux Falls on Dec. 20, 2022. (Photo from body camera of second Sioux Falls police officer)
PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says a Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) review indicates a Sioux Falls Police officer was justified in a shooting during an incident at a Sioux Falls business on Dec. 20, 2022.
“This incident occurred in a tense, fast-changing environment where the public was present,” said Attorney General Jackley. “The officer involved, based on the actions of the defendant and the circumstances of the situation, was justified in believing the lives of others in the area were in danger.”
The incident began when two Sioux Falls police officers conducted a traffic stop on a Kia Forte which had substitute license plates. Renee Two Bulls, the female driver, provided a fictitious name and birthdate. She refused repeated commands to leave the vehicle and a struggle ensued with one of the two officers.
Two Bulls, during the struggle, accelerated the vehicle in reverse while the driver’s door was opened. Both officers were behind the opened door.
One officer fired five shots into the vehicle and then rendered aid to two occupants. Two Bulls was shot four times and was hospitalized with non-fatal injuries. The front seat male passenger was shot once. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
Video and audio recordings, witness interviews, and examination of evidence by the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory corroborated the findings of DCI investigators and the officer’s account that they faced a clear and present danger and that there was danger to the public.
The Attorney General and the Division of Criminal Investigation would like to thank the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory for their assistance and cooperation during the investigation.
Minnehaha County State’s Attorney Daniel Haggar was briefed on the incident by the Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday and supports the conclusion.
The summary of the incident can be found here.
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