Details Released On Fatal Idaho Shooting Of Pleasanton Man

PLEASANTON, CA — Police have provided more details on a Pleasanton man who was fatally shot by law enforcement in Idaho last week.

On Oct. 15, David James Bamber Jr., 28, led a high-speed chase traversing several Idaho counties and was eventually fired on by police near Wendell, Idaho. He died at the scene, according to the Twin Falls Police Department.

The incident began around 11:05 a.m. Oct. 15 when deputies out of Ada County, Idaho, tried to pull over a vehicle on I-84. The driver fled and police determined the man — later identified as Bamber, with help from the Pleasanton Police Department — was the suspect in a kidnapping, was considered armed and dangerous, and had a felony warrant for his arrest, according to the Twin Falls Police Department.

Pleasanton police shared with Idaho law enforcement that Bamber was wanted in California after he led an Oct. 8 high-speed police chase on I-580, according to Pleasanton Police Sgt. Eric Gora. That pursuit began after Pleasanton police received a call about a possible domestic violence incident involving Bamber and his girlfriend. The couple fled in her car and escaped capture.

Pleasanton police later received a call from the girlfriend who said she had been taken against her will by Bamber to Nevada. The girlfriend was brought to safety, but Bamber eluded police once again, according to Gora.

Pleasanton police stayed on the case and determined Bamber may have hooked up with acquaintances in Idaho. Gora said his office was concerned Bamber might be armed and dangerous. He was a suspect in a Burlington burglary, in which a gun was stolen, and he was wanted on a weapons violation. So on Oct. 15, Pleasanton police issued an Officer Safety Alert.

"The minute we got wind of where he probably was, the flier was put out," Gora said.

Lt. Terry Thueson of the Twin Falls Police Department said the alert came through just as the Oct. 15 pursuit of Bamber in Idaho was underway. During that chase, local law enforcement were able to confirm Bamber was their suspect and that he was possibly armed.

At 11:34 a.m. on Oct. 15, Elmore County deputies, along with Idaho State Police and Gooding County sheriff's deputies saw Bamber traveling at high speeds, "including driving the wrong direction on the interstate between Bliss and Wendell," Twin Falls police said.

The pursuit ended a short time later, north of Wendell, after Bamber's vehicle became disabled. He then stole a pickup truck at gunpoint and continued to flee, according to Twin Falls police.

"Shots were fired at the suspect and the pursuit ended at a dairy near Wendell, in Gooding County. When officers arrived on the scene, the suspect was incapacitated. Lifesaving measures were taken, however the suspect died at the scene," Twin Falls police said.

No officers or members of the public were injured during the Idaho chase or shooting.

Pleasanton, Nevada, Burlingame and Idaho police aren't the only ones who knew of Bamber. On Oct. 21, Fremont Police Department tweeted that its officers met up with Bamber on March 24 as he was pacing near the department's overflow parking lot.

"He provided a false name and said he had a knife. During a pat search, officers found a loaded handgun in his waistband and 75 rounds of ammunition," Fremont police tweeted. "When asked what he was up to, [Bamber] said he was in Fremont 'to take care of business.' Once arrested, he complained his handcuffs were too tight, then attempted to flee when we tried to adjust the cuffs. We are glad no one else was seriously injured."

Bamber's fatal shooting is under investigation by Idaho's Magic Valley Critical Incident Task Force. Once completed, the investigation will be submitted to the Gooding County Prosecutor’s Office for review.