Rapid City police calling shooting unattended death

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) – Rapid City police have stepped back from calling Wednesday’s shooting death a homicide.

In an afternoon release, police announced they are calling Wednesday’s incident an unattended death.

Police were called to a residence at 314 E. Adams Street shortly before 3:00 p.m. Wednesday for a report of an unconscious male. On arrival, police located the male just outside the residence with a gunshot wound to the head. The individual was declared deceased on scene.

Rapid City Police Chief Karl Jegeris says they have encountered several complicating factors as they work to investigate the specific circumstances surrounding the shooting.

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Police have recovered the firearm believed used. It was located in a window well. Police believe an occupant of the residence had purposefully discarded the firearm and moved the victim’s body in an attempt to hide drugs and associated paraphernalia inside the house.

However, Jegersi says they are not sure if the victim, who was identified today as 20-year-old Michael Mayweather of Rapid City, shot himself or if someone else did.

Evidence being gathered from the scene and the occupants of the house will be submitted for gunshot residue testing. He says the residence is known to police for drug activity.

Police say testing will take some time, and for now, have classified the death as an unattended death investigation.