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DCI Examines Officer-Involved Shooting

A man is in the hospital following a shooting involving South Dakota law enforcement. It happened Monday in rural Pennington County.

A caller reported a possible drunk driver, and a Pennington County Sheriff’s deputy tried to stop the car. The driver didn’t pull over, and an additional deputy and South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper joined the chase. Attorney General Marty Jackley says authorities stopped the car 43-year-old Travis Ross was driving using spike strips.

:The stop then escalated when Travis Ross produced a weapon," Jackley says. "At that point, two Pennington county sheriff’s deputies and a highway patrolman fired their duty weapons, and Ross has been taken to the hospital."

Jackley says Ross suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Ross does have an active warrant for his arrest because of a parole violation for a November 2012 DUI conviction.

The state's  Department of Criminal Investigation is investigating whether officers were justified when they shot Ross. Jackley says it’s standard practice for state officials to examine officer-involved shootings.

"The Division of Criminal Investigation is working with local authorities to prepare a report," Jackley says. "The report will then be provided to myself as Attorney General and Mark Vargo, the Pennington County State’s Attorney, to review for the ultimate conclusion  of whether or not the officers were justified in firing their duty weapons."
 
Jackley says that report should be available within 30 days.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).