Suspect in Nuchols Gulch stand-off arrested

OSBURN – Officials took an Osburn man into custody Thursday after he was responsible for a tense standoff with police the night before.

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office reports that Ryan Rickets, 39, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon at his home in Nuchols Gulch, Osburn- the same home that the stand-off occurred at the night before.

According to a source close to the suspect, the entire situation began on June 30, when Rickets and a neighbor got into a disagreement over fireworks. Rickets was allegedly shooting them off and the neighbor took exception. This disagreement carried over to the next day, when Rickets again shot off fireworks. This second dispute between them led to 911 being called and SCSO deputies being dispatched to the area.

At 6:56 p.m., the responding deputies arrived on scene and witnessed Rickets walk out of a residence and onto a balcony while holding a firearm. Rickets then fired several rounds into the ground within the deputies line-of-sight. The deputies then retreated and called for additional law enforcement units to assist with scene containment.

Once multiple units comprised of personnel from SCSO, Osburn Police Department, and Idaho State Police arrived and established a perimeter, it was determined that Rickets was holed up in a home with a female individual and two juveniles.

Following several hours of negotiation, the female was the first to come out of the home unharmed. Not long after, the two children also came out unharmed.

Contrary to other reports on social media, there was no shootout or exchange of gunfire between the two sides and no deputies were injured in any way.

Once the children were secured, law enforcement quickly found out that Rickets had used the release of the children as cover for an escape into the woods to the north on foot. An arrest warrant was drawn up and issued not long after he fled.

Rickets did not turn up again until Thursday afternoon when he showed back up at the home.

SCSO deputies watching the home made contact with the female from the previous night and were able to convince him to surrender.

Rickets was taken into custody at that time without incident and is being charged with multiple charges, both felony and misdemeanor levels.

With assistance from Child Protective Services, the children involved in the stand-off have been taken into protective custody. SCSO has also completed a search warrant of the residence and property.

According to iCourt, Rickets was found guilty of misdemeanor battery/domestic violence in 2017 and was also charged with aggravated battery in 2018, but those charges were eventually dismissed.