State AG & DCI say highway patrol troopers were justified in July shooting in Madison

From AG report: Still image from dashboard camera video of Highway Patrol Trooper. In the video, James Lanpher is seen exiting his vehicle and firing at two troopers.

South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the state Division of Criminal Investigation Thursday released the summary of the July 14th Highway Patrol Trooper involved shooting that occurred in Madison. The report found that a crime suspect had fired a firearm at Highway patrol Troopers before Troopers fired, and that the Troopers were justified in using lethal force. No one was injured in the incident.

The video and audio recordings of this incident as well as an examination of evidence by the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory corroborated the findings of DCI investigators and Troopers’ accounts that they faced clear and present danger and that there was danger to the public. Vargo said in a news release that “this was a fast moving and tense situation that included a high speed pursuit during which a crime suspect fired a weapon at Troopers”. He said there was a clear danger to the Troopers and the public, and the Troopers’ use of lethal force was warranted.

The Division of Criminal Investigation indicated that they would like to thank the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Madison Police Department and the South Dakota Forensic Laboratory for their assistance and cooperation during the investigation.

The two suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been indicted on multiple charges by a Lake County Grand Jury.

40-year-old James Lanpher, Jr. of Sioux Falls and 45-year-old Bonner Juel of Harrisburg have been indicted on two counts each of attempted first-degree murder, with alternate counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Lanpher and Juel also have been charged with two counts of commission of a felony while armed with a firearm, and Habitual offender charges have also been filed against both men.

The incident took place July 14th, starting in Minnehaha County and going through Moody and Lake Counties before coming to an end in Madison.

The complete six-page summary of the incident from the state Attorney General’s Office can be found here: July 14 2022Lanpher Shooting Summary