Police Identify Man That Stabbed Officer and Was Fatally Shot

Last Friday there was quite the ordeal in Nampa. I originally posted about it on Friday evening but there were not a lot of details at the time. Since then there have been little bits of info here and there. Although, officially still under investigation, now we know more of the full story.

There was a traffic stop on Friday afternoon in Nampa near 11th Avenue North and 2nd Street North by the family dollar. There was a driver and passenger in the pulled over vehicle. Caldwell Police who has been running the investigation said 34-year-old Leonel Salinas of Nampa was a passenger in the vehicle. There were 3 officers at the scene when the traffic stop happened. The officers asked Salinas if he had any weapons on him. He responded and let them know that he had a knife. KTVB reports that according to police, the officers told Salinas not to reach into his clothes, but he continued to do so. When he was placed under arrest, Salinas began to fight with officers and used the knife to stab one officer in the face. He turned to stab another officer and at that point was shot by one of the 3 officers at the scene. Salinas was pronounced dead at the scene even though they tried to perform first aid and save him according to reports.

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The officer who was stabbed had a puncture wound in his cheek and was treated at a nearby hospital. He is now home and all three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. That is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings. In total between the 3 officers there were over 25 years of law enforcement experience. The officer who did the shooting was the newest member with two years under his belt.

As mentioned above this is still under investigation by the Canyon County Critical Incident Task Force. I will keep you posted if anything else surfaces from this incident.