On April 7th, at approximately 10:40 p.m., Idaho Falls Police Officers were called to the area of Memorial and Broadway for a report that a man was threatening and chasing people with a knife. The caller provided dispatch with a description of the man and responding officers located him in the area of B Street and Capital Avenue, holding a knife in his right hand.
The first officer on scene exited his patrol vehicle with his service weapon drawn and gave the man directions to drop the knife while keeping the patrol vehicle between himself the man as much as possible. The man initially refused and continued to move around holding the knife in his hand above his shoulder. As additional officers arrived on scene, the man finally dropped the knife on the ground and the first officer was able to move to the knife and kick it further out of reach.
Officers directed the man to get on the ground but he refused to do so. Officers coordinated with each other attempting to see whether the man could have any additional weapons on him and at least one officer switched to a Taser device. The man continued to refuse to get on the ground and told officers to shoot or use a Taser on him.
While the man was facing two officers in one direction, an officer behind the man was able to tackle him to the ground where he was placed in handcuffs and successfully detained.
Officers spoke with witnesses and the four people the man had been chasing. The victims explained that they had been traveling on scooters on the Greenbelt Trail along Riverside Drive when the man had jumped out from behind a tree. The man startled the group and reportedly pushed one of the victims. The victims exchanged words with the man before continuing on the Greenbelt along Memorial Drive towards Broadway Street. The victims stated that they realized the man was following them and heard him making threatening statements towards them.
The victims reported that when they confronted the man about following them, the man drew a knife. According to victims and a witness in the area, the man lunged at the group and made statements that he would kill them while holding the knife. A nearby witness called 911 and after appearing to realize what they were doing, the man fled towards Capital Avenue where he was located by Officers.
The man was identified as Justin Breedon, a 34-year-old male resident of Bakersfield, California. Breedon was taken to the Bonneville County Jail where he was booked for four counts of Felony Aggravated Assault, Misdemeanor Battery, and Misdemeanor Resisting Arrest.
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