Provided by Sheri Melvold of KMAQ of Maquoketa
THE MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY SHOT A MAQUOKETA POLICE OFFICER WAS DEAD WHEN OFFICERS FOUND HIM IN AN OVERTURNED PICKUP EARLY TUESDAY MORNING IN CLINTON COUNTY.
30 YEAR OLD AARON EDWARD SCOTT WAS FOUND IN THE PICKUP ON 150TH AVENUE, NORTH OF HIGHWAY 135 JUST BEFORE 3:30 A.M. TODAY BY CLINTON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES AND IOWA STATE PATROL, FOLLOWING A HIGH SPEED CHASE FROM MAQUOKETA TO NEAR LOST NATION. OFFICERS CONFIRM SCOTT WAS THE PERSON WHO SHOT THE MAQUOKETA POLICE OFFICER.
DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE TUESDAY MORNING, BILL KIETZMAN, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, SAID THEY WOULD NOT RELEASE THE NAME OF THE OFFICER WHO WAS SHOT. HE SAID IT’S ROUTINE NOT TO RELEASE THE NAME OF THE OFFICER UNTIL HE IS INTERVIEWED BY DCI. CHIEF BRAD KORANDA SAID THE OFFICER HAS EXTENSIVE FAMILY AND THEY ARE WAITING UNTIL ALL FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.
THE OFFICER WAS SHOT IN THE UPPER ARM ONCE. HE WAS TAKEN TO JACKSON COUNTY REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER AND WAS HOME AND DOING FINE TUESDAY MORNING. KORANDA SAID THE OFFICER IS ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.
KIETZMAN SAID THE OFFICER STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE A BLUE 2005 DODGE RAM PICKUP PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET IN THE 200 BLOCK OF WEST GROVE AT 2:51 A.M. AARON SCOTT GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH A HIGH POWERED RIFLE AND SHOT AT THE OFFICER. THE OFFICER RETURNED FIRE. IT’S NOT KNOWN IF SCOTT WAS HIT.
THE MAQUOKETA SQUAD CAR WAS ALSO HIT WITH BULLETS WHICH KIETZMAN SAID DAMAGED SOME MECHANICAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE SQUAD IN CAR CAMERA.
THE OFFICER HAS BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR 13 YEARS AND IS CURRENTLY A SERGEANT. KORANDA SAID IT’S THE FIRST TIME A MAQUOKETA OFFICER HAS BEEN SHOT IN THE 26 YEARS HE’S BEEN ON THE FORCE.
AARON SCOTT WAS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER SHOOTING IN 2007 IN JONES COUNTY. ACCORDING TO REPORTS, SCOTT AND TWO OTHER YOUTH WERE INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING WHERE JUSTIN MOHR WAS SHOT. MOHR IS NOW PARALYZED.
SHERIFF RUSS KETTMANN SAID SCOTT WAS ALSO IN JAIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON A DRUNK DRIVING CHARGE.
NUMEROUS AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED INCLUDING THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTM, JACKSON COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE; CLINTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE; IOWA DIVISION OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND THE IOWA STATE PATROL AND CLINTON COUNTY MEDICL EXAMINER’S OFFICE. KORANDA THANKED THOSE AGENCIES FOR THEIR HELP THIS MORNING.
THE DCI SAID THEY DON’T KNOW A MOTIVE OR DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.
AN AUTOPSY ON AARON SCOTT IS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY AT THE IOWA MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE. HE SAID THE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL BE RELEASED BY THE DCI IN THE FUTURE.
