March 29, 2024

Man fatally shot by Des Moines police after vehicle chase

DES MOINES (AP) — A man has died after being shot by Des Moines police following a vehicle chase.

The Des Moines Register reports the incident happened late Tuesday.

Sgt. Jason Halifax said that an officer had pulled over a car for an unrelated traffic stop when another vehicle pulled up alongside so close that the officer couldn’t open the door.

Halifax said the driver of that car got out and danced before driving off.

Authorities say the driver did a U-turn after a low-speed pursuit and stopped abruptly.

Halifax said the driver was behaving erratically when he got out and began to move toward the car window of another officer who had just arrived.

The officer shot the driver in the torso, and he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Halifax said he did not know if the driver was armed.