Authorities: Man died after shootout with Rapid City police

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Authorities say a man who was involved in a shootout with police in Rapid City has died.

The Attorney General’s Office said the man died Thursday morning, a day after police say a routine traffic stop quickly escalated into a shootout.

Police said that the traffic stop happened Wednesday evening at a Highway 44 intersection. After the vehicle pulled over, a man got out and began shooting at officers, striking a squad car.

Police Chief Karl Jegeris said officers returned fire.

The Attorney General’s Office hasn’t released the man’s name and the names of the officers.

The officers began a routine traffic stop “and it was nothing close to routine,” Jergeris said, adding that “clearly the suspect was intending to shoot a police officer.”

There were two others in the vehicle who have been interviewed, but Jegeris said they seemed very deceptive when questioned, the Rapid City Journal reported.

“This is Police Week,” Jegeris said. “This Friday we will be having a memorial service for officers who died in the line of duty, including two of our own in Rapid City. This type of conduct and behavior is uncalled for but we are ready to address it and today the outcome was in our favor.”

Jegeris said he didn’t know the purpose of the traffic stop or which seat the suspect was sitting in.

The Division of Criminal Investigations will investigate the shooting and the attorney general will determine whether the shooting is justified or not. That report is expected in about 30 days.