In the late afternoon of August 2, 2011, a routine stop in Rapid City, South Dakota, turned into a scene of violence that resulted in the death of 28-year-old White male, James Ryan McCandless, a police officer. McCandless and two other officers, Nick Armstrong and Tim Doyle, were investigating a suspicious situation involving four individuals at an intersection.
Around 4:30 p.m., about ten minutes after the officers began speaking with the group, one of the men drew a concealed weapon and opened fire.
All three officers were struck by the gunfire. Officer McCandless was rushed to Rapid City Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officer Armstrong was critically wounded and underwent emergency surgery, while Officer Doyle was shot in the face but was in stable condition. The gunman, identified as 22-year-old Daniel Tiger of Rapid City, was also shot during the exchange of gunfire and later died from his injuries at the hospital.
The investigation that followed revealed that Tiger had a lengthy criminal history. In the final moments of his life, it was reported that McCandless, despite being fatally wounded, advanced on the shooter to end the confrontation. For his bravery, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart. As the suspect was killed at the scene, no arrests were made in connection with Officer McCandless's death. The incident marked the first time a Rapid City police officer was killed in the line of duty since 1985.
