Category: kifi-local-news

Abi Martin

Update (3:06 p.m.) The suspect in the shooting has been identified as 18-year-old Joshua Martinez. Martinez has been arrested and charged for felony aggravated battery.

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) — Police in Chubbuck are on the hunt for a gunman after a shooting at a house party early this morning.

Officers from the Chubbuck police department, Bannock County sheriff’s office, and Pocatello police department responded to 5025 Cassie Drive in Chubbuck shortly after four a.m.

Two men were shot and driven to the hospital before police arrived. Their injuries are not life-threatening.

The shooter is still at large, but investigators say they have several leads.

This is an ongoing investigation but further details may be released at a later time.

Anyone with information is urged to call Chubbuck police.

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News Team

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) — Chubbuck police are actively searching for a gunman who shot two men during an early morning party on Cassie Dr.

Officers from multiple agencies responded to a residence at 5025 Cassie Dr. just after 4 a.m. Saturday, following a report of a shooting at a party. According to the Chubbuck Police Department, two adult men were shot by another man. They were taken to a local hospital before police arrived with reportedly non-life-threatening injuries.

“The shooter is still at large; however, investigators have several leads and are working through details,” a Chubbuck PD press release stated.

The department thanked citizens who have provided information, as well as the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and the Pocatello Police Department for their assistance.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chubbuck Police Department Communications Center at (208) 237-7172. Chubbuck PD says this is an ongoing investigation, and further details may be released later. Local News 8 is keeping track of any updates and will post new details as they become available.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Pocatello’s premier skating rink is already preparing for scares this Halloween. ‘Deleta Skating and Family Fun Center’ is gearing up for a second year of transforming its escape rooms into a Halloween horror experience.

Deleta managers say last year their ‘escape the madhouse’ attraction was a huge hit with over 700 visitors over the Halloween season.

This year, Deleta is cranking up the frights and getting the word out early about why people should come enjoy the scares this fall.

“There is no haunted house like ours. It’s like an escape room, but without it being a full escape room with that Haunt that’s scary. So it’s definitely an experience like never seen before,” said Delta Escape Rooms manager Kristina Parrish.

The ‘Escape the Madhouse Horror Experience’ may not open until October 10, but Deleta is running promotions all summer long to give away tickets so people are prepared for Halloween. For more information, click HERE.

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Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — The Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce held its yearly ‘Chamber Young Professionals’ mini-golf tournament, bringing together local business owners and young people for a day of networking and friendly competition.

The tournament, a long-standing tradition for the Chamber’s Young Professionals program, helps support local youth by providing them with opportunities for career development. Funds raised from sponsorships and ticket sales are used to help young people find jobs, internships, and inspiration for their future careers.

“We created the Chamber of Professionals just to connect our young professionals in the community,” said Crystal Panek, event manager for the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce. “We want to make sure that they have great business connections [and] some friends, and hopefully, they’ll stay here in the community.”

The Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals program hosts regular meetings and classes to further assist young people in the Pocatello area.

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CNN

Michael Paul Brown, who is accused of fatally shooting four people at a bar in Anaconda, Montana, on August 1, has been taken into custody following a weeklong multiagency manhunt, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Friday.

Brown had been on the run since the “biggest” shooting in the state of Montana in a decade. He was arrested around 2 p.m. local time Friday near the search area in Anaconda and is now in the custody of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County authorities, according to the Montana Department of Justice.

“Incredible response from law enforcement officers across Montana,” Gianforte said in a social media post. “May God continue to be with the families of the four victims still grieving their loss.”

Brown, an Army veteran, was seen on security footage fleeing The Owl Bar, where the fatal shooting occurred, investigators said. Since then, he had been sought by authorities representing at least 38 local, state and federal agencies traversing challenging terrain in the western Montana wilderness.

“I am proud of the unrelenting law enforcement effort this week to find and arrest Michael Paul Brown. The support we’ve seen for the community of Anaconda from across the state and the nation has also been remarkable,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said in a statement following the arrest. “The families and friends of the victims remain in my prayers.”

Investigators found a white Ford F-150 truck that Brown drove the day of the shooting, but Brown “was not located in or around the vehicle,” Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator Lee Johnson said at the time.

Those killed in the shooting were identified as 59-year-old Daniel Baillie, 64-year-old Nancy Kelley, 70-year-old David Leach and 74-year-old Tony Palm.

“It just isn’t real. It’s totally overwhelming,” said Cassandra Dutra, a bartender at the Owl Bar.

Brown served as an armor crewman in the US Army from January 2001 to May 2005 and was deployed to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, a spokesperson with the US Army, previously told CNN.

Brown’s niece, Clare Boyle, previously told CNN he struggled with his mental health during his time in the Army and was never the same after his service. Brown’s mental health got progressively worse with the passing of both of his parents, Boyle said.

“The system failed.. We as people failed.. failed to report suspicious behavior because ‘that’s just Mikee’… We begged people to listen and open their eyes,” she said, referencing his nickname.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Maile Sipraseuth

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Transportation Department is now allowing single-lane traffic on the Porterville overpass following a semi-truck strike that damaged the bridge earlier this week. The incident happened on Tuesday (Aug. 6), when a backhoe being hauled by a semi on I-15 stuck the underside of the bridge, resulting in damage to one of the concrete girders underneath the overpass.

ITD has determined that it is safe for vehicles to pass over the undamaged side of the bridge and will be using traffic signals to maneuver traffic safely. Concrete barriers will be put into place to deter traffic away from the damaged girder.

ITD will continue to investigate what the next steps are to repair the bridge.

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News Team

ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (KIFI) — Two men are facing charges of aggravated battery and leaving the scene of an accident after a hit-and-run incident turned violent this past Saturday.

According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 11 p.m. on August 2nd, in a construction zone just south of St. Anthony. After a vehicle collision, the victims told deputies that two men, later identified as Randy A. Wheeler Jr., 37, and Tayson P. Thomas, 19, violently assaulted them.

Wheeler and Thomas were later arrested and booked into the Fremont County Jail, where they are currently being held on charges of aggravated battery and leaving the scene of an accident.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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News Team

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A wildfire west of Idaho Falls, known as the Lava Trail Fire, has been successfully contained after burning over 90 acres. The blaze started on Wednesday, August 6, near the lava trail inlet south of Highway 20. The Idaho Falls Police Department (IFPD) reports that the fire was sparked by two individuals who were target shooting in the area.

Emergency Response and Containment

The Idaho Falls Fire Department (IFFD) was the first to respond to the scene. Due to the rapid spread of the fire, they requested help from several partner agencies, including the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Ammon Fire Department. The BLM took command of the unified response, and air support was activated to drop retardant and contain the fire’s spread.

Fueled by strong winds, the fire moved quickly to the north and east. Fire crews worked diligently and were able to halt the blaze by 10:30 p.m. that night. The fire is now considered fully controlled. The BLM remained on the scene overnight Wednesday to monitor conditions and ensure the fire was completely out.

Camper Injured While Escaping Fire

During the incident, an 81-year-old man who was camping in the area sustained minor burns to both of his arms while trying to escape the flames. A bystander initially tried to warn the man about the advancing fire, but had to retreat for their own safety. IFFD personnel witnessed the event, provided immediate medical aid, and arranged for the man to be transported to meet with emergency medical services (EMS). Both the camper and the man’s pickup truck were destroyed in the fire.

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News Team

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) — Craving a coffee and a chance to do good? The Human Bean in Chubbuck is making it easy to help those in need today with its annual “Food Drive Give Back” event.

For every drink purchased, the coffee shop will donate a dollar to the Idaho Foodbank. The timing is intentional, as employees point out that hunger doesn’t take a summer break.

“Hunger is a year-round concern. A lot of businesses… do food drives during the holidays,” said Human Bean Barista Amanda Hansen. “But August is a great time to give back. Any time is a good time to give back to the community.”

Customers can also bring in non-perishable food items and receive a dollar off their drink.

The Human Bean is open until 8 p.m., so there’s still plenty of time to grab your afternoon pick-me-up and help make a difference.

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News Release

The following is a press release from the Idaho Transportation Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) ­­— The Idaho Transportation Department is partnering with the Idaho National Laboratory to alert motorists of changes to their commute beginning next week.

Starting Monday, paving operations within the INL site will limit usual turning movements at the Puzzle, the junction of US-20, US-26, and INL. During morning and overnight hours, traffic will be able to make right turns only off US-20 into the site.

From 4 to 6:30 p.m., traffic at the Puzzle will be restricted to outbound only movement, with no inbound turns allowed.

Speed will be reduced to 50 mph on US-20 near and through the Puzzle while this work is completed.

Both inbound and outbound site traffic will be able to access US-20 from an alternative route at West Portland Avenue, Gate Three, one mile west of the Puzzle. No dedicated turning lane exists on US-20 at this intersection, so motorists are urged to be alert and slow down.

Flaggers will be present as needed when INL paving work is near the intersections of US-20 or US-26. Traffic control signs and lower speed limits will not be in effect when work is not actively ongoing along these roadways.

INL paving operations are expected to be complete and traffic running as usual by late September. 

INL employees should refer to internal communication regarding effects to their commute on roads within the site. Effects to US-20 and US-26 will be noted on the Idaho 511 app and at 511.idaho.gov.

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