An earlier version of this story said the person who was shot by police was an adult male, Marshalltown Police now say they had an incorrect date of birth for the subject and he is 17-years-old. The story has been updated with the correct information.
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – A Marshalltown teen was injured in an officer-involved shooting early Wednesday morning.
Marshalltown Police Chief Michael Tupper tells WHO 13 the incident happened in the 600 block of Summit Street around 4:20 a.m. Officers were initially dispatched to the 200 block of North 5th Street and the 500-600 block of Summit after receiving a call about a disturbance and suspicious activity involving a subject who was allegedly armed with a handgun.
Multiple 911 calls came into the Marshall County 911 Center about a subject trying to break into a residence on North 5th Street. Emergency calls also indicated the subject was pointing a gun toward a house.
Another 911 call came from a victim who said the subject broke into his apartment in the 100 block of North 3rd and assaulted him.
Officers arrived and found a male in the 600 block of Summit. According to a news release from the Marshalltown Police Department, the male refused to comply with the officers’ commands and “aggressively charged two separate police officers…” Officers used a Taser on the subject but it didn’t stop him.
When the subject charged again, an officer shot him once just below the waist.
The male was given immediate medical treatment on the scene and transported to a hospital for treatment. His current condition is not known, but Tupper said his injuries are believed to be non-life threatening and he is being treated at a Des Moines hospital.
No officers were injured in the incident.
The subject has been identified as a 17-year-old Marshalltown resident. Police are not releasing his name yet.
The officer who fired the shot has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard practice in an officer-involved shooting, while the incident is investigated by the Iowa DCI. The officer’s name is not being released at this time.
Chief Tupper stated, “This shooting incident will be thoroughly investigated. We have asked the Iowa DCI to conduct an independent investigation of these events. Based upon the preliminary information available, it seems clear our police officers were confronted with a dangerous situation and were forced to take action to defend themselves from a violent threat. We will devote all resources to this investigation to make sure all questions are answered and a thorough investigation is completed.”
Police say they don’t believe there is any danger to the public stemming from this incident.
The investigation is ongoing.
