Des Moines officer-involved shooting: Man fired handgun directly at officer, video shows
The Des Moines Police Department is investigating a shooting involving an officer on the city's south side on Thursday evening.
The shooting was reported just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the 2100 block of Meadow Court on Des Moines' south side.
Sgt. Paul Parizek, with the DMPD, said officers went to the home to do a wanted check on someone believed to be in the home with felony warrants for domestic abuse assault and felon in possession of a firearm. Parizek confirmed officers located a man they believed to be the wanted person in the home and said the man ran from officers.
Officers followed and yelled at the man to stop and show his hands, Parizek said. He said there is video evidence from body-worn cameras that shows the man fired a handgun directly at an officer.
"When these situations occur, this is us responding to a threat," Parizek said.
Two officers returned the gunfire, striking the man. A third officer was on scene and did not fire a weapon, Parizek said.
There were others inside the home at the time of the incident, Parizek said.
Officers began lifesaving measures and called for medics, but the man died at the scene.
Parizek said the officers involved are physically OK. Per department policy, the involved officers are now on administrative assignment.
The names of the individual shot and the officers have not yet been released.
The investigation is ongoing. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has brought in to lead the investigation.
» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |
Get the latest headlines from vlog
Of the 17 homicides in Des Moines in 2024, three were officer-involved shootings, all of which have been ruled legally justified by the Iowa Attorney General.
