DES MOINES, Iowa — Samantha Alvarado was just trying to put her boy back to sleep at 1:30 in the morning in her living room when she heard a loud crash and her family looked out the living room window.
“We saw two police officers and they were on the speaker just telling the young man to come out and put out his hands,” Alvarado said. “And he eventually did and he got out. Police officers came out of their car and they tasered him because he wasn’t cooperating really. And when the officers came to him to put him in handcuffs, he took out his gun and shot at two police officers.”
Alvarado witnessed the suspect pull out a gun and shoot two officers , with three other officers returning fire, shooting and killing him. Police identified the suspect as a 37-year-old male who was driving a 2005 Ford Focus. Alvarado was an eyewitness and had to go to the police station to provide a statement.
“I was in shock, I did not expect that to happen since it was just a very short car chase and right here in front of my house as well,” said Alvarado. “It was like 50 gunshots and all we see is a man just dead on the floor and two officers down. It was just a crazy night for us.”
Des Moines City Council to vote on ban on camping on public land Monday Alvarado and her family have been living in the neighborhood for only around a month. With the two officers injured, there was a large police presence in the neighborhood to start off the work week for the Alvarado family. She is grateful that her and her family are okay.
Des Moines Police told WHO 13 News that the officers are both expected to survive their gunshot wounds. One was shot in the arm and the other officer was shot in the head.
“They’re both expected to survive. The officer that was shot in the arm’s very likely going to be released from the hospital today. So that’s good news,” said Sergeant Paul Parizek with DMPD. “The other good news for the second officer is that he’s come out of surgery. He’s critical but stable, so that right now, we’re going to take that. And just keep, you know, take care of his family, take care of each other. And get him across that finish line and out of that hospital.”
Both officers have been with the department since 2022. The name of the 37-year-old male suspect, who died at the scene, will not be released until family is notified.
This is an ongoing investigation and police will provide more information when it becomes available.
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