The police have recently provided additional information regarding a 4-hour standoff that took place at a hotel in Idaho Falls
On July 28, in response to a disturbance involving guests at the Hilton Garden Inn in Idaho Falls, police officers arrived at the scene shortly after noon. They made contact with a woman, who claimed to be armed with multiple firearms and holding a hostage inside one of the hotel rooms. The woman threatened harm if the officers tried to enter.
Immediately, the police took precautions to secure the area, evacuating nearby rooms and calling in additional resources, including patrol, SWAT, and the Crisis Negotiations Team. The Crisis Negotiations team tried to communicate with the individuals in the room, but received limited response and cooperation. The occupants refused to leave and had barricaded the door.
In an effort to encourage them to exit, officers broke a window and deployed gas into the room as an irritant. After continued communication, the male occupant surrendered and was taken into custody. About 45 minutes later, the woman also exited the room and was apprehended.
Fortunately, nobody was injured during the approximately four-hour standoff. Both the male, identified as Zachary Melton, and the female, identified as Madison Salisbury, were evaluated by medical professionals due to gas exposure and were subsequently booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
Contrary to the woman’s initial statements, no firearms were found inside the room. The male occupant claimed he stayed in the room voluntarily. Salisbury and Melton are facing charges of trespassing and resisting/obstructing arrest.
Throughout the incident, the Idaho Falls Fire Department and Chaplains of Idaho provided support and remained on standby as a precaution. It’s important to note that the loud noise heard when the window was breached led some bystanders to mistake it for gunfire. However, the Idaho Falls Police Officers did not fire any shots during the incident, and there is no evidence to suggest that the individuals inside the room fired any shots either.
