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Custer man dies in shooting
Charley Najacht
Published: Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 |
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By Charley Najacht
An early Tuesday morning confrontation with law enforcement officers on Mt. Rushmore Road in Custer resulted in the shooting death of a 22-year-old Custer man.
Cody Engen was shot and killed by a highway patrolman when he refused to put down his semi-automatic pistol in front of the former Bank Coffee House. Engen was a U.S. Marine recently back from a tour in Afghanistan.
Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler said he got a call at his residence about 2 a.m. Tuesday that an individual was displaying a gun to people on the street. His office also received numerous calls of multiple hit and run incidents around town. Signs and mailboxes were reportedly damaged.
“We tried to communicate with him, mainly by cell phone,” Wheeler said. “We didn’t get anywhere.”
Cherish Baker, owner of Baker’s Cafe, 541 Mt. Rushmore Road, said her stepson Brad Baker and his girlfriend came around the corner to their upstairs apartment about 1:30 a.m. and observed a man waving a pistol.
They locked the downstairs door to their apartment above the bakery and cafe and called 9ll. Brad still had his California cell phone so he got the LAPD instead of the local 911. His girlfriend called 911 on her phone and reported the gun-wielding person on Mt. Rushmore Road.
The gunman attempted to kick in the downstairs door. “They were pretty scared and shaken up at this point,” said Cherish Baker. The kicking ceased and they went to bed only to be awakened later by gunshots in the street below them.
“I’m just glad I didn’t get to work at my normal 3:15 or 3:30 in the morning. Otherwise, I would have been right in the middle of it,” she said. The bakery and cafe is located on the north side of the street, just across from the shooting scene.
At one point in the chase, officers took gunfire in the vicinity of Wildcat Lane and Sidney Park Road near the high school. Wheeler said they did not return fire.
Sometime after this, Engen rammed the pickup he was driving into the front of the sheriff’s office building. He got out of the pickup and traveled on foot to a point in the street near the front of the Bank Coffee House, which is located at the southwest intersection of Mt. Rushmore Road and 6th Street.
The sheriff said there were law enforcement officers to the north and south of Engen at the intersection, as well as to the west on Mt. Rushmore Road, effectively surrounding him.
Wheeler said law enforcement officers ordered Engen to put down his pistol numerous times. When he made a threatening move, he was shot with a rifle by highway patrolman Todd Albertson who was in the intersection. The incident ended at 3:45 a.m., according to Mike Carter, Custer County emergency management director and county dispatch supervisor.
Blood in the street at the shooting scene was being washed away about 9:30 a.m. by a Custer Volunteer Fire Department truck. Shortly thereafter, state Department of Criminal Investigation and Rapid City Police Department investigative units completed their work and the downtown area was again open to traffic.
Business owners and employees in the 500 block of Mt. Rushmore Road were prevented from entering their buildings until the yellow police tape was removed from the area surrounding the shooting scene.
Traffic was routed differently at the high school Tuesday morning because of the evidence scene being worked by investigators there.
Engen is a 2007 graduate of Custer High School. He is the son of Dan and Priscilla Engen of Custer and was a Marine scout/sniper who was previously deployed to Iraq. Dan Engen is a Custer County Sheriff’s Deputy.
“I’m just glad nobody else was hurt,” Wheeler said.
“You can see why we want more people out at night. We need at least two people on duty at night,” Wheeler said.
The sheriff has been lobbying the Custer County commissioners for an additional deputy to help cover the night shift more effectively.
The incident is being investigated by the state DCI. At the completion of the investigation, the DCI will issue a case report and shooting summation to be reviewed by Attorney General Marty Jackley, Custer County State’s Attorney and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office for a final determination on the officers’ actions.
Release of the summary report is expected within 30 days, according to a news release from the AG’s office in Pierre.
An early Tuesday morning confrontation with law enforcement officers on Mt. Rushmore Road in Custer resulted in the shooting death of a 22-year-old Custer man. Cody Engen was shot and killed by a highway patrolman when he refused to put down his semi-automatic pistol in front of the former Bank Coffee House. Engen was a U.S. Marine recently back from a tour in Afghanistan. Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler said he got a call at his residence about 2 a.m. Tuesday that an individual was displaying a gun to people on the street. His office also received numerous calls of multiple hit and run incidents around town. Signs and mailboxes were reportedly damaged. “We tried to communicate with him, mainly by cell phone,” Wheeler said. “We didn’t get anywhere.” Cherish Baker, owner of Baker’s Cafe, 541 Mt. Rushmore Road, said her stepson Brad Baker and his girlfriend came around the corner to their upstairs apartment about 1:30 a.m. and observed a man waving a pistol. They locked the downstairs door to their apartment above the bakery and cafe and called 9ll. Brad still had his California cell phone so he got the LAPD instead of the local 911. His girlfriend called 911 on her phone and reported the gun-wielding person on Mt. Rushmore Road. The gunman attempted to kick in the downstairs door. “They were pretty scared and shaken up at this point,” said Cherish Baker. The kicking ceased and they went to bed only to be awakened later by gunshots in the street below them. “I’m just glad I didn’t get to work at my normal 3:15 or 3:30 in the morning. Otherwise, I would have been right in the middle of it,” she said. The bakery and cafe is located on the north side of the street, just across from the shooting scene. At one point in the chase, officers took gunfire in the vicinity of Wildcat Lane and Sidney Park Road near the high school. Wheeler said they did not return fire. Sometime after this, Engen rammed the pickup he was driving into the front of the sheriff’s office building. He got out of the pickup and traveled on foot to a point in the street near the front of the Bank Coffee House, which is located at the southwest intersection of Mt. Rushmore Road and 6th Street. The sheriff said there were law enforcement officers to the north and south of Engen at the intersection, as well as to the west on Mt. Rushmore Road, effectively surrounding him. Wheeler said law enforcement officers ordered Engen to put down his pistol numerous times. When he made a threatening move, he was shot with a rifle by highway patrolman Todd Albertson who was in the intersection. The incident ended at 3:45 a.m., according to Mike Carter, Custer County emergency management director and county dispatch supervisor. Blood in the street at the shooting scene was being washed away about 9:30 a.m. by a Custer Volunteer Fire Department truck. Shortly thereafter, state Department of Criminal Investigation and Rapid City Police Department investigative units completed their work and the downtown area was again open to traffic. Business owners and employees in the 500 block of Mt. Rushmore Road were prevented from entering their buildings until the yellow police tape was removed from the area surrounding the shooting scene. Traffic was routed differently at the high school Tuesday morning because of the evidence scene being worked by investigators there. Engen is a 2007 graduate of Custer High School. He is the son of Dan and Priscilla Engen of Custer and was a Marine scout/sniper who was previously deployed to Iraq. Dan Engen is a Custer County Sheriff’s Deputy. “I’m just glad nobody else was hurt,” Wheeler said. “You can see why we want more people out at night. We need at least two people on duty at night,” Wheeler said. The sheriff has been lobbying the Custer County commissioners for an additional deputy to help cover the night shift more effectively. The incident is being investigated by the state DCI. At the completion of the investigation, the DCI will issue a case report and shooting summation to be reviewed by Attorney General Marty Jackley, Custer County State’s Attorney and the Custer County Sheriff’s Office for a final determination on the officers’ actions. Release of the summary report is expected within 30 days, according to a news release from the AG’s office in Pierre.
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Current Comments
36 comments so far (post your own)September 7th, 2011 at 04:38am
My heart breaks for Dan and Priscilla, my deepest sympathies to the family. You are in my prayers and thoughts.
September 7th, 2011 at 06:36am
This is very sad for his family and friends. It goes to show that those of us not deployed have no idea what they go through over there and how our military personnel does not get enough help in coping financially or mentally with what they go through. I'm not saying his actions are justified and God Bless the law enforcement; I'm sure this is not an easy situation for them either and it sounds as if they had no other choice. Just a very sad situation all the way around.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:28am
This is so sad. Feelings on this can go both ways. It is a terrible incident that will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Engen family and my thoughts are also with the Custer County Sheriff's Department. As with all of us, I just wish there was another way to end this before such a young person was killed who fought for our country.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:42am
I found out about this when I was going to work today. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and confusion and maybe even anger that is being felt as I write. I live in Oregon and the Engen family are personal friends of mine. God bless you Dan and Priscilla and Josie. May He comfort you all in this time.
September 7th, 2011 at 18:03pm
This breaks my heart. To Dan and Priscilla, your son was an angel even while he was with us. Cody meant so much to me... I hope you found peace sweet boy, I will think of you everyday... I love you.
September 8th, 2011 at 00:49am
Anybody ever think of using tranquilizer darts? I was not there and so do not have an accurate picture of the "clear and present danger".
However this young man was a product of our governments policies and obviously negatively affected by his experience. I find it more than a little dissapointing to see that summary disposal of the "problem" by another government entity can be considered reasonable or civilized.
September 8th, 2011 at 03:43am
That's a pile right there your telling me that cops with numerous hours of training couldn't of shot him in the leg instead they shoot to kill wow
September 8th, 2011 at 04:11am
My wife and I were visiting your beautiful city when the shooting of Cody Engen occurred. I realize that the police involved had to do what was right to protect the community of Custer. But, after seeing where Mr Engen was a member of the Marine Corps and had recently returned from Afghanistan, it is quite possible that PTSS(Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) may have played a part in the young mans actions. If this is true, I would hope that the fine people of Custer can not only show compassion for Mr. Engen, but also for his family who still live in the Custer area. My wife and I were in the Bakers Bakery after the incident occurred and being a Viet-Nam veteran, when I heard it could be PTSS related, it tore my heart out. I'm sitting in Laurel, Montana in my motel room and it's 4 A.M. I awakened and had to send this message for my own benefit and to help relieve the pain I feel for this young man. Again, praise to the actions of your law enforcement personnel but may Cody Engen now rest in peace. Thank you Cody for your service to our country and may God forgive you for your actions.
Thank you for letting me vent my feelings.
Clarence W. Casto, Msgt, USAF, retired
September 8th, 2011 at 04:25am
This is very sad, and very hard on the family and the families of others serving. Deployment is very hard on many, we as a people need to care more for our returning military.
September 8th, 2011 at 07:37am
A Sad and tragic day in Custer.
A Marine home... and tragically killed by the police dept. there... Thank you soldier for your service, and my prayers to your family for the strength they will need in the months to come, may your community give you strength as surely your son was suffering the effects of all he has witnessed, all he has had to do for our country so that we may know peace...
It was I am certain hard to know what happened on that street; in those officers minds... I have to believe that there has to be a better way than "shoot to kill unless necessary", and pray that if it could have been possible he could have only been retrained, or wounded until he could have received the care he so desperately needed.
YES, PTSD is what I would say caused this Marine to display a weapon on a small town street...
My heart aches for your community, as a Marine is now at home,
May he rest in peace, knowing we are a grateful nation.
September 8th, 2011 at 10:41am
My heart goes out to the parents of the young man but I also feel really bad for the young man who was forced to shoot him. He has to live with that. I hope he finds a way to deal with it. Don't say he should have shot him in the leg because none of us really know how we would react if faced with that same situation.
September 8th, 2011 at 10:41am
Dan and Pricilla, Blair and I don't have words for the loss you must be feeling. You both know that we understand how horrible the situation was for you and your son. Anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask.
September 8th, 2011 at 10:54am
Anyone saying the cops were in the wrong are crazy. The main point is they actually didn't act fast enough because the kids dad was a cop. They are lucky none of them were injured or killed. If that would of been a normal citizen they would of shot and killed him way sooner. I have no sympathy for the kid he is just like the man in rapid that killed two cops. He chose to get drunk and start shooting at the cops and tearing around town.
September 8th, 2011 at 13:05pm
I grew up and Custer, and my family is and has been involved in the military in various aspects. On top of praying for ALL the families involved in this tragedy, we need to be respectful. We weren't there, and we will never be inside the minds of those involved. We should not judge.
This incident has moved me to take action, and I urge you to as well. How many commercials do you see for the different branches of the military that are for recruiting soldiers? A ton.
How many do you see about organizations supporting those who have served when they return home? None.
Their needs to be more counseling offered, more programs available and more support for those brave men and women who serve our country. Whether you believe in the war or not, we need to support those who wear a uniform to protect our freedom. It’s the least we can do as they return to the "civilized" life that we are so privileged to enjoy.
I've reached out to Amvets to offer my time and expertise to further programs, and you should as well.
Send your emails/calls to:
Gary L. Fry, National Commander 2011-2012 (x4002)
gfry@amvets.org
or go look at www.amvets.org
September 8th, 2011 at 13:20pm
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Engen family, the Sheriff's Dept. and the Hwy Patrol and families, who were all involved in the incident this week. It's heartbreaking on so many levels. I'm also saddened by the Chronicle choosing to use the clean-up photo. What if that was your son or brother? We know he died from the headlines. That photo was unnecessary. I also wish the media wasn't allowed to use the HWY patrolman's name who shot Cody. Why do we need to know that? He is paid to protect us, that's all we need to know, in my opinion.
September 8th, 2011 at 14:05pm
A beautiful community torn apart by a horrible tragedy. It is easy to arm chair quarterback and say what we would do. I know that all the men at the Sheriff's dept had to be hesitant and reluctant to even have to fire on this young man. What choice was given? Shoot him in the leg? Maybe but he was a trained marksman and perhaps that was on everyone's mind. Now we must let all of Custer heal. I am so sorry for the Engen family and for Mr. Albertson. I know that Sheriff Wheeler is a really fine man and I am sure that he is having a hard time with this. So sweet little community, come together in prayer and healing. Honor Cody for his brave service to his country and help his family and Mr. Albertson at this time. I still have my heart in Custer and I feel so bad for all of you.
September 8th, 2011 at 15:11pm
My heart is so saddened by this story. We to have a Marine who is close to us. It is so heartbreaking to have this young man come through being deployed and then have his life ended in America. This is so very tragic. My prayers our with the family and the officers involved.
September 8th, 2011 at 17:26pm
Dan and Priscilla I'm so sorry for your loss. I treat Veterans who have returned from deployment everyday. Experiences a soldier has during a deployment can indeed result in serious emotional trauma. It is not uncommon for Veterans to be overwhelmed, confused, sometimes feeling hopeless.
Unfortunately, the law officers appear to have been put in a position wherein they had to take decisive measures to protect themselves and others in the community. I have no doubt that their actions were in line with their professional training. If there had been another way, I feel confident they would have taken it. I feel for the officer who was required to fire on this young man.
This was a tragedy. I hope for your healing.
September 9th, 2011 at 02:41am
Still on vacation here in Montana and spoke with a friend of mine in Iowa who is a ride captain for the Iowa chapter of the Patriot Guard Riders and he informed me that the South Dakota chapter of the Patriot Guard Riders will be escorting the body of marine Cody Engen to his final resting place. To this I say...bless you guys. This is something he earned and deserves. Bless you, bless you, bless you. To Cody, my final words are..rest in peace my fallen brother, rest in peace. SEMPER FI!
Clarence & Barbara Casto
Springfield, OH
September 9th, 2011 at 03:46am
This really is a tragedy. I wouldn't say the police didn't do what was necessary but it is really sad it got to this point for this young Marine. Where was his country when he needed them? I can say from personal experience that Marines go through an immense amount of training that is extremely hard on them physically and mentally. Then when they are shipped off to a combat situation and sent home it is hard on them. They need everyones support, including evaluation & treatment from their country. God be with the families involved. Shame on the Custer Chronicle for posting such tasteless pictures of the event!!
September 9th, 2011 at 05:47am
My deepest condolences to Cody's family. May God grant you peace and comfort. My heart goes out to you.
As a Marine mom, how I wish that counseling was mandatory when they get home from overseas. My son was deeply affected by his first deployment and almost lost him marriage and family. I can only believe God pulled him through.
May God also bless the law enforcement officials whose families also wait for them to come home safely...
September 9th, 2011 at 06:08am
Really? Shoot to injure? How many criminals do you know "shoot to injure" Police, Sheriff's, Troopers in the entire Nation ARE NOT trained to "shoot to injure". Some of you need to really grow up on here. This man joined the military on his own- nobody forced him. And let's not automatically assume it was stress. If you want to feel for someone- feel for the Trooper, otherwise, keep your back seat quarter backing to yourself.
September 10th, 2011 at 08:07am
My heart goes out to a young man whose life was ended so tragically. I wonder at the cause. A young person enters the service and swears to defend america against all enemies, foreign and domestic. His service is all about honor, patriotism, and defending freedom. Then he returns home to find government encroachment, corrupt officials, mismanaged government programs, leaders lacking character, leaders having decaying morals, leaders abusing power. He faces a broken economy and a bleak future while the leaders of our country are motivated by greed and self interest. Many of the freedoms he once enjoyed are now gone away. He returns to a system that penalizes hard work and rewards laziness. He becomes frustrated and angry. I'm not saying this is the norm but there has been a lot of violence towards authority this summer
September 11th, 2011 at 02:51am
This man wanted to make the world safer by gong after the bad guys. Who was he after in Custer?
September 11th, 2011 at 14:06pm
My heart felt sympathies go out to Dan and Priscilla. We must also remember the trooper who had to make a choice that all lawenforcement wishes to never, ever have to make. This is a true tragedy on both sides. May God heal the individuals as well as the community!!!! God Bless, comfort and keep you all!!!!!
September 12th, 2011 at 08:20am
I came here to say one for the posters who are calling marines Solders please stop. We are Marines from the youngest enlisted to the highest ranking officer we are marines.
Semper Fi to the SD chapter of the Patriot Guard for riding with this fallen Warrior and sending this marine off right.
Now not one person here except for close friends of the family and the family them selves know what happened. So please stop saying what should have happened or what could have happened. It only creates rumors and confusion. To the one who was blaming the Law enforcement I can not say for sure but I am positive that they did every thing they could to keep not only the community safe but to also try to keep this young man alive.
September 12th, 2011 at 18:08pm
I agree as well the photos and video taken and posted here are distasteful, and disrespectful. Just because of the location of the Chronicle's building does not give them right to exploit this tragic event. It does not do anything for anyone. It is hard enough for both Cody's family and everyone else involved. This young man was a person who grew up in Custer, and parents are members of our community. Rather than speak bad about Cody or his family we should rally around them and give them the support they deserve. My thoughts and prayers go out to Dan, Pricilia, Josie Engen, and every person affected by this tragic event. At the end of the day Cody is still a vetran and person who deserves resepct no matter what may have happend that night.
September 12th, 2011 at 19:27pm
If you're offended by the photos and video, don't look at them. There are plenty of other stories on this site. Some of us are far away and want to get an idea of what happened that night. Last I checked, it was the newspaper's job to report what happened, which they did. Not every front page story can be puppy dogs and sunshine.
September 13th, 2011 at 04:07am
A terrible tragic event and my heart and prayers go out to the Marine, the Family and Law enforcement. Humble thanks to the Patriot Guard for their escort.
To those posters saying negative things and silly things about Law Enforcement or anything else, you just need to stop. Proving your intelligence to the entire community like that only belittles you.
Whats with being 'anonymous' anyway? The last poster is correct, Marines are Marines.
For Sarah, there are literally hundreds of ways to reach out for help with PTSD or issues of that nature, starting with the branch of service, VA, DVA, Military One stop, Wounded Warrior Foundation, the Legion, the VFW, AmVets, SD Veterans, etc. All of these can be found on the Web and in most phonebooks. Thank you for your efforts and we veterans appreciate it.
Richard Nielsen
Vet
September 13th, 2011 at 17:25pm
For the people who are saying the officers did there job..have you ever wondered why this War Hero was looking for the sheriffs deputies? There's a saying around town... don't sleep with my girl when I'm deployed, apparently someone has no morals.
Cody, God bless you, from a Marine to a Marine, you will be missed. Thank you for your dedicated service and keeping this great nation safe, we know the "County guys" wont do anything. My prayers are with the family and friends.
September 17th, 2011 at 08:32am
Wow I guess if you sleep with someone's girl then that person has the right to go around town shooting and trying to kill cops. You give vets a bad name by even coming up with garbage.
October 6th, 2011 at 20:54pm
I knew cody from my time in 2nd LAR. I couldn't believe it when I saw this article. Not only this but another buddy of mine from LAR killed himself a week ago. His .45 was empty when he was killed. He killed himself using the police.
October 7th, 2011 at 06:04am
Being a retired police officer, I cannot think of anything to say, but I have empathy for everyone involved. Although I never had to use my weapon in this type of incident, it was always on my mind. Take a life or go home today?
Mr.Engen had troubles related to what he saw in Afghanistan. The trooper and other law enforcement officers now have to live with what they have seen in this sad incident.
Our government must realize soldiers need debriefing when they return home.
Every critical incident should have debriefings.
May God comfort all involved.
October 11th, 2011 at 02:58am
Dan and Priscilla I am so sorry for your loss ... of Cody ... may god rest his soul and give you and everyone involved peace of mind.
January 11th, 2012 at 04:47am
suck it really does i cant believe cops in this town would actually do somthing so sad like that.
January 16th, 2012 at 18:05pm
I thought you guys TASERED people that waved guns.