Police shootings in Iowa: What we know now

Editors

USA TODAY

A police officer stands guard at the scene of a shooting in Urbandale, Iowa, where two Des Moines-area police officers were fatally shot in the early morning in ambush-style attacks as they sat in their patrol cars.

What happened?

Two police officers in the Des Moines metro area were shot and killed in apparent "ambush-style" attacks early Wednesday. Both officers were gunned down in their patrol cars.

The suspect

Police arrested Scott Michael Greene around 9:30 a.m. CT Wednesday. Police in a news release described Greene, 46, as 5'11", 180 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Greene has been combative toward Urbandale police in previous encounters.

Where and when

There were two separate shootings. Police from both departments responded to reports of gunfire about 1:06 a.m. CT at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue in Urbandale. The first officers arriving on the scene found an Urbandale officer shot. At about 1:26 a.m., a Des Moines police officer was shot and killed while responding to that scene.

The victims

Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony "Tony" Beminio and Urbandale Police Officer Justin Martin were the officers killed, police said at a news conference.

It's the first time Des Moines has seen a police officer shot and killed in the line of duty since two officers were gunned down in the city in separate incidents in 1977. The killing of the Urbandale officer appeared to be the city's first for an officer shot in the line of duty.

Officer Tony Beminio, works as a school resource officer at Roosevelt High School on Feb. 25, 2013. Beminio was shot and killed on duty on Nov. 2, 2016.

Killings condemned

Attorney General Loretta Lynch condemned the police killings, saying “violence has no place in the United States of America.’’

“Let me be clear, there is no message in murder,’’ the attorney general said, referring to simmering distrust between law enforcement and many communities across the country. “Violence creates nothing; it only destroys.’’

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad called the attack on the officers "an attack on the public safety of all Iowans."

Presidential candidates react

Several political leaders are offering condolences to the officers and their families. Among them are Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic counterpart, Hillary Clinton.

"Praying for the families of the two Iowa police who were ambushed this morning. An attack on those who keep us safe is an attack on us all," Trump tweeted just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"Heartbroken for the families of two brave officers who were killed in Iowa. There's no justification for this kind of violence. -H"

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