On April 3, 2026, the life of 40-year-old Brandon Lee Madden of Pocatello, Idaho, was tragically cut short in a burst of violence on Tank Farm Road. That Friday afternoon, an emergency call alerted authorities to a shooting about a mile north of the Simplot plant, where they discovered a grim scene. Madden and Amanda Ann Christian, 36, also of Pocatello, were found deceased, with a third individual wounded but alive.
The injured person was transported to a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.
The incident escalated as law enforcement searched for the gunman. The suspect, later identified as 63-year-old Richard Todd Forrest of Pocatello, was found hiding near the Portneuf River. As officers closed in, more shots were fired, and a bystander who was in a boat on the river was struck and injured. This individual was later discharged from the hospital. A police tactical team attempted to negotiate with Forrest, but the situation culminated in a lethal threat from the suspect.
In response to the threat, law enforcement officers engaged Forrest, who was fatally shot at the scene. Multiple agencies, including the Power County Sheriff's Office, Bannock County Sheriff's Office, and Idaho State Police, were involved in the extensive response to the unprecedented event. In the aftermath, the community was assured that there was no further threat. The investigation into the initial shooting that claimed the lives of Brandon Lee Madden and Amanda Ann Christian was handed over to a multi-agency team.
