Man shot and killed by police in Sioux Falls identified as friends, family gather for vigil

Alfonzo Galvan
Sioux Falls Argus Leader
Amber, last name not provided, tearfully holds a photo of Jacob James at a vigil on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

More than 50 people gathered outside a Burger King in west-central Sioux Falls for a vigil the day after a man was killed by police during a traffic stop.

Jacob James, 21, was identified by those gathered at the Burger King on 12th Street and Williams Avenue as the man who died. Family members leaned on each other and cried as they held up portraits of him Wednesday afternoon.

The 21-year-old was killed after a traffic stop turned into a police shooting around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday. Members of the Sioux Falls Police Department and Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop the vehicle James and three other subjects were riding in, police chief Jon Thum said during a media briefing.

More Argus911: Sioux Falls police say man shot and killed by officers fired gun at law enforcement.

Thum said three people, including James, tried to run from the scene. One man later identified as Tanner Turkey, drove away. Thum said that while James was attempting to flee, he shot at officers on scene. 

A sheriff deputy and a police officer shot at James. He was hit and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, Thum said. Police didn't say how many shots were fired by police or how many James allegedly fired.

Robert Johnson addresses a crowd at a vigil for Jacob James, who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Sioux Falls, on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

Crowd gathers with posters and photos of man who died

By Wednesday morning, family and friends of James were organizing on Facebook for a vigil to remember him. At 7:30 p.m. the crowd gathered outside Burger King with posters, photos and candles.

Robert Johnson, a friend of James, acknowledged the crowd and asked for the youth to lean on each other during tough times such as the one they were experiencing.

"Trust your instincts and your hearts but use your minds to navigate through and make a positive impact," Johnson said to those in attendance.

Family members and friends of Jacob James led a procession down 12th Street, after sharing memories of him at a vigil on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

James was described as a loving individual by friends and family, who brought out and released 21 balloons, representing his age. Johnson also described James as artistic and inquisitive.

As per standard practice when there's an officer-involved shooting, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation into James' death and the incident behind it.

Funeral services for James are pending.

Family members and friends of Jacob James holding photos a day after he was killed in the latest officer-involved shooting in Sioux Falls, on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

Got a story idea from your community? Email reporter Alfonzo Galvan at agalvan@argusleader.com or follow him on Twitter @GalvanReports.