COEUR D’ALENE, ID – Idaho State Police (ISP) dispatchers played a key role in the swift arrest of a suspect involved in a shooting on Interstate 90.
On January 8, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a female driver contacted ISP Regional Dispatch, reporting that someone had fired a gun at her vehicle while she was driving. The dispatcher directed her to a safe location, where responding troopers confirmed a bullet hole on the passenger side of her car. The only available evidence was a blurry image of the suspect’s vehicle.
ISP dispatchers Jamielyn Rupe, Parker Cooley, and Haley Shields began analyzing video footage and internal records to identify the vehicle. While early leads did not align with the timeline, Shields’ observations helped redirect the search. Rupe eventually located a vehicle on a traffic camera at Beck Road that matched the suspect’s car.
Further investigation led to the registered owner, an older woman from Cocolalla. While she did not match the suspect’s description, past reports linked her son to prior incidents involving violence, threats, and reckless driving. Troopers Daniel Taylor and O’Brien, working with the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, went to the son’s residence, where he admitted to the shooting and was taken into custody. In a later interview, he confessed to a history of violent behavior, including brandishing firearms.
Corporal Taylor credited the dispatchers for their investigative efforts, stating that without their work, identifying the suspect so quickly would not have been possible. He noted that given the individual’s history, the arrest likely prevented future incidents.
Rupe was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award for her role in the investigation, while Cooley and Shields received Letters of Commendation.
ISP emphasized that the case demonstrates the importance of skilled dispatch personnel in ensuring public safety.
