State Attorney General says shooting by Rapid City officer was justified

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says a Division of Criminal Investigation review shows a Rapid City Police officer was justified in the shooting death of a man who who was killed during a May incident.

Rapid City Police Officers responded to a call of two people refusing to leave a residence. One of them, 25-year-old Kyle Whiting, was prohibited by a court order from being at the residence.

When the two officers arrived, Whiting fled on foot. One of the officers found Whiting trying to enter another residence. Whiting failed to obey the officer’s commands to stop and pointed a novelty gun lighter, which appeared to be a real gun, at the officer. The officer fired three rounds, hitting the suspect at least twice.

A bystander in the home also suffered a gunshot wound. Both were taken by ambulance to a Rapid City hospital. Whiting was later pronounced dead. The bystander sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries.

July 7, 2023