Boise Police Officer shoots an armed gang member who was attempting to flee, bodycam shows

On June 24, 2023, at approximately 2:12 a.m., several Boise Police Officers were working in downtown Boise assigned to the Boise Police Department gang team. Members of the BPD Gang Team were investigating a suspect, Mario Adan Garza, who was a known parolee, and was suspected of trafficking narcotics. Police observed Garza with a handgun in his possession. Because he was on parole, Garza was prohibited from possessing firearms. Garza was observed with a white male adult whose identity was unknown at the time, but who was later identified as 22-year-old Payton Wasson. Both Garza and Wasson were dressed in gang attire recognizable to the team. Boise Police began to surveil Garza and Wasson at approximately 1:06 a.m. when they arrived downtown in a Black Kia Forte registered to Mario Garza. Garza and Wasson walked to the area of 6th and Main St. where they went into a bar called Dirty little Roddy's.

At around 1:58 a.m., Garza and Wasson left the bar and walked back to Garza's Kia. They were accompanied by a white female adult later identified as Jordan R. Smith. During the time Garza was away from his Kia, a BPD Officer observed a Glock pistol in plain view inside Garza's car and communicated with an on-duty Probation and Parole Officer, who requested that BPD detain and search Garza. BPD officers also planned to detain the subjects with Garza based on their affiliation with Garza and his suspected drug trafficking activity. Garza, Wasson, and Smith returned to Garza's Kia and Wasson retrieved items from the passenger side where the Glock pistol had been observed. Wasson appeared to put something in his waistband then took a backpack from the Kia and walked away. BPD Officers contacted the three subjects: Garza and Smith cooperated, but Wasson ignored commands from multiple officers to stop.

Wasson began moving away and looked over his shoulder toward one of the Police Officers as he reached for his waistband. One BPD Officer yelled at Wasson "don't do it," "don't go for the gun," and to stop. Wasson then fled. Two BPD Officers pursued Wasson on foot. As he ran, Wasson took a gun from his waistband. One Officer radioed: "We've got one running with a gun." The Officers repeatedly ordered Wasson to drop his gun. Wasson refused to comply and continued to run. Wasson ran by a citizen standing on the sidewalk, who had to quickly recoil to avoid Wasson. Wasson was running toward Main Street where several bars had just closed and patrons were exiting. As Wasson continued to flee and refuse commands to stop and disarm, one Officer fired at him, striking him in the head. Wasson immediately fell to the ground. A black semi-automatic pistol fell to the ground near Wasson's right side. He was given first aid immediately and transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

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