A 36-year-old man is facing felony charges after Bonneville County sheriff’s deputies and Idaho Falls Police responded to a late-night disturbance along Ammon Road Saturday, where witnesses say he pointed a firearm at residents and threatened to kill someone before being located and taken into custody by a police K-9.
Deputies Respond to Forced Entry Call
The incident began shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday when deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 2000 North block of Ammon Road after reports of a man attempting to force his way into the home. Callers told dispatchers the suspect had pointed a gun at someone and threatened to kill them. Residents at the scene identified the man as Shawn Cochran and warned deputies that he routinely carried both firearms and knives.
When officers arrived, Cochran was not immediately found at the main residence. Deputies then noticed lights flickering on and off inside a nearby unoccupied camper, prompting a search of the structure. An Idaho Falls Police K-9 was deployed to assist, and the dog located and bit Cochran inside the camper. After being bitten, Cochran indicated he would exit and surrender, and he was taken into custody without further incident.
Deputies and Idaho Falls Ambulance personnel treated Cochran at the scene for a dog bite to his arm. He was subsequently transported to a hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
Felony Charges Filed, Prior Case on Record
Cochran now faces two felony charges — aggravated assault and attempted burglary — as well as a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. No future court dates have been scheduled as of press time.
This is not the first time Cochran has faced serious criminal allegations. In June 2020, he and two others were charged in connection with threatening to kill a man unless he agreed to murder his own brother. Those charges included second-degree kidnapping, aggravated battery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The case was ultimately dismissed after Cochran completed a court-ordered competency evaluation.
The latest arrest raises fresh concerns about public safety in residential areas near the Ammon Road corridor in Bonneville County. The involvement of a K-9 unit underscores the potential danger deputies faced in approaching an armed and reportedly volatile suspect concealed inside a darkened space.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho Falls Police Department both had personnel on scene. The cooperation between agencies reflects the kind of mutual-aid response that has become routine in high-risk calls across East Idaho. For those in surrounding neighborhoods, the swift resolution of a situation involving a reportedly armed individual provided some reassurance that law enforcement was able to contain the threat before it escalated further.
Anyone with information relevant to this case is encouraged to contact the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office directly.
What Comes Next
Cochran remains booked in the Bonneville County Jail pending his initial court appearance. Given that felony charges have been filed, a preliminary hearing and arraignment will follow, though no dates had been set at the time of this report. Prosecutors will determine how to proceed given both the current charges and his documented prior criminal history. For broader public safety and law enforcement news across the region, visit Idaho News. In a separate recent incident, Zoo Idaho in Pocatello was forced to evacuate after a bomb threat earlier this month, highlighting an active stretch for public safety agencies across eastern Idaho.