DCI: Shots fired by Sioux Falls officer were justified

PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A DCI review found the Sioux Falls officer was justified in firing his gun five times during an encounter with suspects on Dec. 20, 2022.

“This incident occurred in a tense, fast-changing environment where the public was present,” said South Dakota Attorney General Marty 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 car that had substitute license plates. Renee Two Bulls, the female driver, provided a fictitious name and birthdate. According to the officer’s report, the suspect 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 transported to the hospital, where she received treatment for her non-fatal injuries. The front-seat male passenger was shot once. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.

According to the report from the South Dakota State’s office, authorities sorted through 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 Minnehaha County State’s Attorney, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory assisted with 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.