KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — More questions are being raised about a deadly shooting in Hauser Lake, Idaho.
77-year-old Dennis Rogers saw his barn going up in flames. He went outside and was shot to death with his own gun. The suspect, Adam Bennett, is facing several charges including 1st degree murder.
Bennett was cited and released by BNSF Railway police hours before the deadly shooting. Given the fact that he had multiple unrelated warrants out for his arrest, several people at Monday night's town hall asked Sheriff Norris why Bennett was not taken to jail. The sheriff said he's launching an investigation into the matter.
"I have initiated an investigation that will encompass all of that activity. We're very, very early on in that investigation but I will be looking at every component of that from the contact to the computer screens, to our response," Sheriff Robert Norris said.
Rogers' wife, son and daughter attended the town hall.
"It was a little chaotic out there and so the deputies had to first secure the scene so it was safe for firefighters to secure," Lt. Mark Ellis said, describing the scene deputies responded to.
Deputies describe Bennett as a transient who has been in trouble with the law before.
"He spent the last year in Spokane where he was arrested and imprisoned for a majority of the year. The report says he did about $200,000 worth of damage to a residence over there as well as started a fire and then he came over here and started doing the same," Ellis said.
"He had been released, I believe 6 to 7 days prior to coming over to Kootenai County," Ellis said regarding Bennett.
Sheriff Norris encouraged citizens to keep an eye out for suspicious activity.
"We look for opportunities for where we can be the eyes and ears for Sheriff Norris," said community watch member Thomas Bonham. "We've got single moms that live here, we've got elderly people, we just kind of watch out for each other's backs, we communicate a lot."
At the end of the town hall, a line of people offered hugs and condolences to Dennis Rogers' wife and kids.
"We're really just sorry for her loss and just an absolute tragedy and there's no reason for it," Bonham said.
As part of the separate investigation, Sheriff Norris says he's requesting the body cam footage of the BNSF officer that detained Bennett to see exactly what happened and what may have gone wrong.