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| Iowa Police Arrest Suspect in ‘Ambush’ Killings of 2 Officers | Iowa Police Arrest Suspect in ‘Ambush’ Killings of 2 Officers |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two police officers were shot and killed early Wednesday while sitting in their patrol cars in the Des Moines area, and the authorities later arrested a 46-year-old Iowa man in connection with the “ambush-style attacks.” | Two police officers were shot and killed early Wednesday while sitting in their patrol cars in the Des Moines area, and the authorities later arrested a 46-year-old Iowa man in connection with the “ambush-style attacks.” |
| The man, identified as Scott Michael Greene, of Urbandale, Iowa, was taken into custody in Dallas County, just west of Des Moines, said Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesman for the Des Moines Police Department. | The man, identified as Scott Michael Greene, of Urbandale, Iowa, was taken into custody in Dallas County, just west of Des Moines, said Sgt. Paul Parizek, a spokesman for the Des Moines Police Department. |
| Mr. Greene was on foot when he was arrested by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol, and he offered no resistance, the authorities said. He will be taken back to Des Moines, they said. | Mr. Greene was on foot when he was arrested by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol, and he offered no resistance, the authorities said. He will be taken back to Des Moines, they said. |
| The police on Wednesday did not explain how they had identified Mr. Greene as a possible suspect. “We think that he has some information pretty crucial to closing this case out,” Sergeant Parizek said when discussing the suspect earlier. | The police on Wednesday did not explain how they had identified Mr. Greene as a possible suspect. “We think that he has some information pretty crucial to closing this case out,” Sergeant Parizek said when discussing the suspect earlier. |
| He said that the authorities did not yet know of any motive for the shooting, and that “we may never actually know what motivated this act.” | He said that the authorities did not yet know of any motive for the shooting, and that “we may never actually know what motivated this act.” |
| In a video posted online on Oct. 16, a man police officers refer to as Scott Greene is shown being escorted from an Urbandale High School football game two days earlier. In the video, the man is angry because, he says, someone at the game took away the Confederate flag he was holding. | |
| Throughout the 10-minute video, the officers tell the man he is being accused of causing a disturbance inside the stadium. He continues to demand the return of his flag and asks them to file charges against the person who took the flag. | Throughout the 10-minute video, the officers tell the man he is being accused of causing a disturbance inside the stadium. He continues to demand the return of his flag and asks them to file charges against the person who took the flag. |
| “I was peacefully protesting,” he said, repeatedly asking whether he had committed a crime. | “I was peacefully protesting,” he said, repeatedly asking whether he had committed a crime. |
| Outside the stadium, the man tells the officers that he wants to file assault charges against the “African-American people that were behind me” who he said took the flag. | Outside the stadium, the man tells the officers that he wants to file assault charges against the “African-American people that were behind me” who he said took the flag. |
| Just before the video ends, there is an abrupt cut, and then a female officer says to the man recording, “If you’re unhappy with his conduct, you’ll need to take that up with the Des Moines Police Department.” | Just before the video ends, there is an abrupt cut, and then a female officer says to the man recording, “If you’re unhappy with his conduct, you’ll need to take that up with the Des Moines Police Department.” |
| The shootings Wednesday began just after 1 a.m. The police in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines, responding to reports of gunfire, arrived near the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue, where they found a colleague who had been shot. | The shootings Wednesday began just after 1 a.m. The police in Urbandale, a suburb of Des Moines, responding to reports of gunfire, arrived near the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue, where they found a colleague who had been shot. |
| Officers from Des Moines, Iowa’s largest city, and other agencies were called in for help. Around 1:30 a.m., an officer was found shot at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue in Des Moines — about a five-minute drive from where the first officer was found. | Officers from Des Moines, Iowa’s largest city, and other agencies were called in for help. Around 1:30 a.m., an officer was found shot at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue in Des Moines — about a five-minute drive from where the first officer was found. |
| “The shootings appear to have been ambush-style attacks,” the Urbandale police said in a statement. | “The shootings appear to have been ambush-style attacks,” the Urbandale police said in a statement. |
| Sergeant Parizek said that it did not look as if there had been any interaction between the officers and “whoever the coward is who shot them while they sat in their cars.” | Sergeant Parizek said that it did not look as if there had been any interaction between the officers and “whoever the coward is who shot them while they sat in their cars.” |
| Some schools near the shooting were closed, and the Clinton campaign said it had canceled a get-out-the-vote event scheduled for the city that was to be attended by former President Bill Clinton and Tim Kaine, the vice-presidential candidate. | Some schools near the shooting were closed, and the Clinton campaign said it had canceled a get-out-the-vote event scheduled for the city that was to be attended by former President Bill Clinton and Tim Kaine, the vice-presidential candidate. |
| Near the scene of the first shooting, Dorothy Grandon, 60, said that just after 1:00 in the morning, she heard what she thought could have been multiple gun shots, and her dog started barking. “By the time I got the dog quieted down, I picked up my phone and it said 1:09,” she said. | Near the scene of the first shooting, Dorothy Grandon, 60, said that just after 1:00 in the morning, she heard what she thought could have been multiple gun shots, and her dog started barking. “By the time I got the dog quieted down, I picked up my phone and it said 1:09,” she said. |
| She did not hear anything else, and soon fell back asleep. She did not get up again until 4 a.m., she said, when she saw flashing lights and a police car with its door open. Later, watching the news, she recognized that car as the one in which the police officer had been shot. It was still sitting there, when she left for work at about 7:45. | She did not hear anything else, and soon fell back asleep. She did not get up again until 4 a.m., she said, when she saw flashing lights and a police car with its door open. Later, watching the news, she recognized that car as the one in which the police officer had been shot. It was still sitting there, when she left for work at about 7:45. |
| According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, killings of officers have risen in the United States this year, and the organization has noted with alarm an increase in “ambush killings” of officers. | According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, killings of officers have risen in the United States this year, and the organization has noted with alarm an increase in “ambush killings” of officers. |
| A report released by the organization in late July noted that there had already been 14 “ambush killings of unsuspecting law enforcement officers” in 2016, compared with three in the same time period the previous year. | A report released by the organization in late July noted that there had already been 14 “ambush killings of unsuspecting law enforcement officers” in 2016, compared with three in the same time period the previous year. |
| On July 7, five police officers were gunned down in Dallas by Micah X. Johnson, an Army veteran who was angered at police treatment of African-Americans. Ten days later, three officers were shot and killed in Baton Rouge, La., by Gavin Long, who had a history of paranoid rantings. | On July 7, five police officers were gunned down in Dallas by Micah X. Johnson, an Army veteran who was angered at police treatment of African-Americans. Ten days later, three officers were shot and killed in Baton Rouge, La., by Gavin Long, who had a history of paranoid rantings. |
| The killings in Iowa also recalled the ambush-style killings of police officers in Brooklyn in December 2014, when two police officers sitting in a patrol car were shot at point-blank range. | The killings in Iowa also recalled the ambush-style killings of police officers in Brooklyn in December 2014, when two police officers sitting in a patrol car were shot at point-blank range. |
| Sergeant Parizek, asked about the dangers that face police officers, responded: “There is clearly a danger if you’re a police officer. These guys were gunned down, sitting in their car doing nothing wrong.” He added: “There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now.” | Sergeant Parizek, asked about the dangers that face police officers, responded: “There is clearly a danger if you’re a police officer. These guys were gunned down, sitting in their car doing nothing wrong.” He added: “There is a clear and present danger to police officers right now.” |
| He alluded to the tensions in police-community relations throughout the country. | He alluded to the tensions in police-community relations throughout the country. |
| “We’re very well aware of the society that we’re living in right now and the time,” he said. “And that there are some not-so-positive views of law enforcement that a segment of our population holds.” | “We’re very well aware of the society that we’re living in right now and the time,” he said. “And that there are some not-so-positive views of law enforcement that a segment of our population holds.” |
| “If we don’t provide the service in the area that we do, with the personal-type service that we do, we’re nothing more than an occupying army,” he said. | “If we don’t provide the service in the area that we do, with the personal-type service that we do, we’re nothing more than an occupying army,” he said. |
| Sergeant Parizek said, “We’re going to do what we can to keep ourselves safe” adding that the police would continue to “answer the call” as expected. | Sergeant Parizek said, “We’re going to do what we can to keep ourselves safe” adding that the police would continue to “answer the call” as expected. |
| He said Des Moines police officers would temporarily conduct their patrols in pairs, to afford better protection. | He said Des Moines police officers would temporarily conduct their patrols in pairs, to afford better protection. |
| Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds released a joint statement, sending thoughts and prayers to the families of the officers who were killed and those “who continue to put themselves in harm’s way.” | Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds released a joint statement, sending thoughts and prayers to the families of the officers who were killed and those “who continue to put themselves in harm’s way.” |
| “An attack on public safety officers is an attack on the public safety of all Iowans,” the statement said. “We call on Iowans to support our law enforcement officials in bringing this suspect to justice.” | “An attack on public safety officers is an attack on the public safety of all Iowans,” the statement said. “We call on Iowans to support our law enforcement officials in bringing this suspect to justice.” |
| The killings appeared to be the first times Des Moines police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty since 1977. The department of 376 officers had been mourning the deaths of two officers who were killed in March when their patrol car was struck head-on by a drunken driver who was going the wrong direction on Interstate 80. | The killings appeared to be the first times Des Moines police officers were shot and killed in the line of duty since 1977. The department of 376 officers had been mourning the deaths of two officers who were killed in March when their patrol car was struck head-on by a drunken driver who was going the wrong direction on Interstate 80. |