A report released Friday by South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley concluded that law enforcement officers were justified in the fatal shooting of a man during a high-risk hostage situation on August 5 in Haakon County.
According to the report, Shace Wayne Looking Horse, 31, of Eagle Butte, was attempting to evade law enforcement when he took a woman hostage from a rural residence. The incident began when Cheyenne River Sioux tribal police attempted to stop Looking Horse’s vehicle in connection with a weapons-related call. The pursuit extended into Haakon County, drawing in multiple agencies.
Approximately five miles north of Midland, Looking Horse allegedly exchanged gunfire with officers before forcibly taking a woman from a nearby home and fleeing in a stolen vehicle. The chase ended about 13 miles east of Philip, where officers disabled the vehicle. As Looking Horse exited the car holding the hostage at gunpoint, a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper fatally shot him. The hostage was unharmed.
Attorney General Jackley commended the actions of law enforcement, stating, “Tribal, state, and local law enforcement officers placed themselves in harm’s way to protect the hostage and the public.”
Toxicology results revealed Looking Horse had multiple substances in his system, including methamphetamine, amphetamine, cannabinoids, ethanol, norfentanyl, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine. In contrast, the three officers who discharged their weapons tested negative for alcohol and illegal drugs.
Looking Horse had a history of prior arrests and was under federal supervised release at the time of the incident. He also had an active federal warrant for violating probation related to a weapons offense.
This marks the sixth officer-involved shooting in South Dakota in 2025.
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