‘LAWFUL BUT AWFUL’

Idaho Deputy Minutes After Fatal Shooting: ‘Guess I’m Gonna Lose My Gun Again’

The victim’s brother told NBC News the family believes the shooting “was clearly preventable. They had every option to de-escalate.”

Moments after fatally shooting Michael Trappett, who was in a mental health crisis, Idaho deputy Brittany Brokop was concerned about losing her gun, according to newly released video obtained by NBC News. “Guess I’m gonna lose my gun,” she says in the video from the Jan. 31 shooting. The Clearwater County deputy’s actions were cleared last month by a Latah County attorney after she was placed on an administrative leave. Another deputy, Randall Carruth, was cleared too, and both returned to regular patrol. The victim’s brother, Bill Trappett, has filed a federal lawsuit against Brokop for use of excessive force, an allegation the sheriff’s department deemed “false.” “Trappett... would not follow the commands of the Deputies to drop the knife that was in his hand. Trappett started walking away from Deputies and then turned around, raised the knife, and attempt to attack the Deputies,” the department said in a statement. Justin Nix, a criminology professor at the University of Nebraska Omaha, told NBC News the officer appeared to come too quickly at Trappett. “It happens enough—officers rush in and make poor tactical choices,” Nix said. “They have to shoot their way out to protect themselves.” Nix called the shooting “lawful but awful,” and said law enforcement should work harder to prevent shooting suspects who wield knives.