AMES – On November 4, 2013 at approximately 10:17 A.M. the Ames Police Department Communications Division received a report of a stolen vehicle. The reporting party said that his son became upset and took his pickup truck and trailer from the area of Hunziker Drive, in Ames. An officer located the truck and trailer at Grand Avenue and South 4th Street. The officer followed the vehicle for a distance before activating the emergency lights on the police car. At this time, the vehicle began to speed up continuing west on South 4th Street to Beach Avenue. The vehicle continued north on Beach Avenue. The truck and trailer stopped on Beach Avenue at one point and driver put the vehicle in reverse and drove the trailer into the patrol car and partially up onto the hood. It then drove away again north on Beach.
As the truck and trailer approached Lincoln Way and Beach, it went through the red light and the trailer became unhitched from the truck where Beach Avenue becomes Wallace Road. The officer continued to follow the truck around Union Drive and eventually north on Morrill Road against the one-way traffic in the bike/pedestrian lane. Witnesses reported that people were jumping out of the way of the truck. The truck then jumped the curb into the grassy area north of the Campanile. The Ames Officer attempted to ram the vehicle to get it to stop but was unsuccessful. The truck continued to drive around the grassy area as other people continued jumping out of the way.
The truck eventually stopped in wooded area, however, the truck continued to rev its engine moving forward and back. Officers yelled verbal commands to the driver to shut the truck off. The driver did not follow the officer commands. An Ames Police Officer fired six rounds at the truck in an effort to stop the on-going threat to the public and the officers. The truck continued to rev, but was no longer moving. Officers from the Ames Police Department and Iowa State University Police Department approached the vehicle and found that the driver had been struck. Officers called for medical assistance. The driver was taken to Mary Greeley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The identity of the driver and the officer is not being released at this time. As part of our policy the officer involved will be on paid administrative leave until the conclusion of the investigation.
Questions regarding this press release may be directed to Commander Geoff Huff, Ames Police Department, at (515) 239-5317 or (515) 239-5130.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Anyone with information relating to this incident is encouraged to contact the Ames Police Department at 239-5317 or 239-5133 or the anonymous tip line, 239-5533.
The police are damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Who would want to have their job?
The police should be so proud that they killed a unarmed kid whose only real crime was he was upset. They are trained to kill first and ask questions later.
“The officer followed the vehicle for a distance before activating the emergency lights on the police car. At this time, the vehicle began to speed up continuing west on South 4th ”
“The vehicle continued north on Beach Avenue. The truck and trailer stopped on Beach Avenue at one point and driver put the vehicle in reverse and drove the trailer into the patrol car and partially up onto the hood. It then drove away again north on Beach.”
“The officer continued to follow the truck around Union Drive and eventually north on Morrill Road against the one-way traffic in the bike/pedestrian lane. ”
“The truck then jumped the curb into the grassy area north of the Campanile. The Ames Officer attempted to ram the vehicle to get it to stop but was unsuccessful. The truck continued to drive around the grassy area as other people continued jumping out of the way.”
Clearly if you’re “upset” you can’t be a threat to the public.
I can totally understand Tyler driving like that if he was upset or depressed. Still is no right for the officer to shoot to kill. Also if you watched the news tonight, the former chief of police stated that it was uncommon for the shooting to be classified as justified this soon after the shooting. Anyway its a good thing they didnt turn left as they would have ended up near the building my son was in.