In the late afternoon of August 2, 2011, a tragic encounter unfolded at the intersection of East Anamosa and Greenbriar Streets in Rapid City, South Dakota, that would claim the life of 27-year-old White / Caucasian male, Nicholas Keegan Armstrong. A dedicated police officer with the Rapid City Police Department, Armstrong, along with fellow officers J. Ryan McCandless and Tim Doyle, had stopped to question a group of four individuals who appeared to be intoxicated.
For several minutes, the interaction was routine, a common occurrence in the line of duty.
The situation took a sudden and violent turn when one of the individuals, Daniel Tiger, unexpectedly pulled out a concealed. 357 caliber revolver and began firing at the officers. The first shot struck Armstrong in the chest, finding a gap just to the left of his protective vest and incapacitating him almost instantly. Tiger then turned his weapon on Officer Doyle, striking him in the face. Despite being critically wounded, Officer McCandless was able to return fire.
In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Tiger was fatally wounded. All three officers were rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. Officer McCandless succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving. Nicholas Armstrong fought for his life for five days before he too passed away on August 6, 2011, from the single gunshot wound he had sustained. Officer Doyle was the sole officer to survive the horrific attack.
Investigations following the shooting revealed that the suspect, Daniel Tiger, had an extensive criminal history, including prior arrests for threatening and assaulting law enforcement officers. It was also discovered that he was a suspect in a recent armed robbery and burglary. A witness later disclosed that Tiger had expressed a desire to die and had talked about "suicide by cop," as he was facing the possibility of returning to prison and had "nothing to live for." The investigation concluded that the officers' use of lethal force was justified. The primary suspect in the death of Nicholas Keegan Armstrong died at the scene, bringing a swift and tragic end to the investigation.
