Ferris Graduate Killed in the Line of Duty

Posted by on August 5, 2011 in News.

Rapid City Police officer and Ferris State class of 2005 graduate James Ryan McCandless, 28, was one of three officers shot Tuesday in North Rapid City, South Dakota.
Ferris alumnus James Ryan McCandless, 28, was killed Tuesday after a routine stop became deadly when the suspect opened fire on the responding officers. McCandless graduated Ferris State University in 2005; he went on to serve for the Rapid City Police Department in Rapid City, South Dakota.

He and two other officers were involved in the shooting, which occurred after stopping a group of four suspects at around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. After a few minutes, a Native American male in his 20s pulled a concealed pistol and opened fire. At least one officer returned fire wounding the suspect, who is now in custody at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

McCandless was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Rapid City Regional Hospital. One officer was shot in the face and is stable con while the other, Nick Armstrong, 27, remains in critical condition. McCandless was a 2001 graduate of H.H. Dow High School in Midland and received a scholarship to attend Ferris State University where he majored in criminal justice.