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| Two police officers killed in Des Moines in ‘ambush-style attacks’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two police officers have been shot and killed in ambush-style attacks in the Des Moines area, prompting a warning of a “clear and present danger” to other officers in and around the city in Iowa. | Two police officers have been shot and killed in ambush-style attacks in the Des Moines area, prompting a warning of a “clear and present danger” to other officers in and around the city in Iowa. |
| The Des Moines police department said the shootings took place early on Wednesday. Officers responded to a report of shots fired at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue at about 1.06am. The first officers arriving on the scene found an Urbandale officer who had been shot and killed as he was seated in his car. | The Des Moines police department said the shootings took place early on Wednesday. Officers responded to a report of shots fired at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue at about 1.06am. The first officers arriving on the scene found an Urbandale officer who had been shot and killed as he was seated in his car. |
| About 20 minutes later, a second officer from Des Moines’ police department was also found shot in his car near the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Drive, about two miles from the first incident. | About 20 minutes later, a second officer from Des Moines’ police department was also found shot in his car near the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Drive, about two miles from the first incident. |
| The officer was transported to hospital and died shortly after. | The officer was transported to hospital and died shortly after. |
| Des Moines police sergeant Paul Parizek told a news conference on Wednesday morning: “In all appearances, it looks like these officers were ambushed. On the surface, it doesn’t look like there was any interaction between these officers and whoever the coward was that shot them while they were sat in their cars.” | Des Moines police sergeant Paul Parizek told a news conference on Wednesday morning: “In all appearances, it looks like these officers were ambushed. On the surface, it doesn’t look like there was any interaction between these officers and whoever the coward was that shot them while they were sat in their cars.” |
| The officers had not yet been identified as police were still in the process of informing their families. “These guys were sitting in their car doing nothing wrong. There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now,” Parizek said. | The officers had not yet been identified as police were still in the process of informing their families. “These guys were sitting in their car doing nothing wrong. There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now,” Parizek said. |
| The sergeant added that the department had paired officers to ensure greater safety but emphasised that police in the area would continue their work as usual. | The sergeant added that the department had paired officers to ensure greater safety but emphasised that police in the area would continue their work as usual. |
| “You’re not going to see any difference in the service that we’re providing and the way we do it. You’ve just got to look at the people that work here, you know that you’ve got the best police department in the nation ... We’re going to be here tomorrow, we’re going to be here tonight. | “You’re not going to see any difference in the service that we’re providing and the way we do it. You’ve just got to look at the people that work here, you know that you’ve got the best police department in the nation ... We’re going to be here tomorrow, we’re going to be here tonight. |
| “We’re very well aware of the society we’re living in right now and there’s not so positive views of law enforcement [but] if we don’t provide the service in the manner that we do, the personal type service that we do, we’re nothing more than an occupying army.” | “We’re very well aware of the society we’re living in right now and there’s not so positive views of law enforcement [but] if we don’t provide the service in the manner that we do, the personal type service that we do, we’re nothing more than an occupying army.” |
| Local roads have been closed indefinitely while police carry out their evidence-gathering, which will include video from the dashboard camera of the police cars. | Local roads have been closed indefinitely while police carry out their evidence-gathering, which will include video from the dashboard camera of the police cars. |
| Sgt Chad Underwood of Urbandale police said the incident on Wednesday was the first time an officer from the department had been shot and killed in the line of duty. It was also the first incident of its kind in the wider Des Moines area since two officers were gunned down in separate incidents in 1977. | Sgt Chad Underwood of Urbandale police said the incident on Wednesday was the first time an officer from the department had been shot and killed in the line of duty. It was also the first incident of its kind in the wider Des Moines area since two officers were gunned down in separate incidents in 1977. |
| Two Des Moines officers, Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales, died earlier this year when their vehicle was struck head-on by a drunk driver who was travelling the wrong way along a road. | Two Des Moines officers, Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales, died earlier this year when their vehicle was struck head-on by a drunk driver who was travelling the wrong way along a road. |
| Across the US 48 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty by gunfire so far in 2016, according to the website Officer Down Memorial Page. | Across the US 48 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty by gunfire so far in 2016, according to the website Officer Down Memorial Page. |
| In October, two officers were fatally shot and a third injured while responding to a family disturbance call in Palm Springs, California. In July, three officers were killed and three wounded by a gunman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A week earlier, five officers were killed and seven wounded in Dallas, Texas, during protests against the shooting of black men by police. It was the deadliest day for US law enforcement officers since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. | In October, two officers were fatally shot and a third injured while responding to a family disturbance call in Palm Springs, California. In July, three officers were killed and three wounded by a gunman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A week earlier, five officers were killed and seven wounded in Dallas, Texas, during protests against the shooting of black men by police. It was the deadliest day for US law enforcement officers since the 9/11 attacks in 2001. |