DAVENPORT, Iowa — On Friday morning, the Scott County Attorney's office released the results of its investigation into the Oct. 30 shooting that left a Davenport man dead and six law enforcement officers on "critical incident leave."
Attorney Michael Walton discussed the results shortly after 11 a.m. at the Scott County Courthouse. Walton stated the investigation's findings, followed by dashcam footage from the incident.
According to Walton, the Oct. 30 shooting which resulted in the death of 24-year-old Kenneth Jamel Carrol of Davenport, was preceded by a Oct. 16 police chase involving a similar vehicle. In the Oct. 16 incident, the vehicle eluded police from Davenport to Eldridge, before police lost track of the vehicle.
Walton says that police were "interested" in the Santa Fe because of the Oct. 16 incident, and decided to follow the vehicle. After following Carrol for some time, police decided to stop the vehicle after observing it weaving and crossing the center line multiple times.
According to Walton, Carrol was over the legal blood alcohol content, and also had methamphetamine and marijuana in his system at the time of the incident.
The dashcam footage shows Iowa State Patrol trooper Kenneth Voorhees pursuing Carrol's vehicle as it races away at speeds over 100 mph, while running red lights, nearly driving into other vehicles and turning off the vehicle's lights to elude police.
The Santa Fe appears to be speeding when it hits a curb in the area near Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue in Davenport. Once it comes to a rest in a ditch, multiple occupants can be seen fleeing from the vehicle.
There were three female passengers in the vehicle. One passenger fled with Carrol into an adjacent neighborhood before being apprehended. Another passenger was secured immediately after the vehicle came to a stop. The third passenger was found and identified later. None of the passengers are being charged with crimes.
Carrol ran towards the southwest and Iowa State Troopers Kenneth Voorhees and Dwight Swartz followed him around a residence.
Officials say this is when Carrol turns and shoots at the troopers, at which point they return fire.
Davenport police officers Brandon Askew, Mason Pauley and Benjamin Betsworth along with Bettendorf police officer Zachary Thomas also returned fire towards Carrol at this time.
Carrol ran south across Pheasant Creek, where he failed to comply with officers.
Carrol can be seen in bodycam footage walking along a tree line as officers command him to get on the ground.
Eventually, after numerous pleas to get on the ground, authorities began firing at Carrol until he falls to the ground.
He was determined to be deceased at the scene.
Authorities located Carrol's gun approximately 90 feet away from his body. The gun was in the open chamber position, indicating Carrol had fired all available rounds.
One passenger stated in an interview that she saw Carrol with a weapon before they exited the vehicle.
Walton said that 11 shell casings found were attributed to Carrol's weapon, while the six officers involved fired a total of 53 rounds, 13 of which struck Carrol.
Carrol's 13 wounds were to his head, torso and extremities.
Walton said the Hyundai Santa Fe wasn't stolen, and wasn't registered to Carrol.
One home was damaged by a bullet which struck its porch roof.
According to the legal conclusion found by the county, "the evidence shows the use of deadly force by officers was justified and reasonable under the circumstances. The intentional actions by Kenneth Carrol endangered the lives of many others. It placed the lives and physical safety of numerous people in immediate danger. It was reasonable for officers to shoot Carrol to prevent injury or death to others.
Original Story:
The shooting happened around 2:50 a.m. on Oct. 30. The Iowa Department of Public Safety reported multiple agencies were patrolling the area near 5200 Grand Avenue in Davenport when officers initiated a traffic stop.
The driver failed to stop and a pursuit began. Shortly after, the vehicle "became inoperable" in the area near Kimberly Road and Elmore Avenue in Davenport.
The Iowa DPS reported the occupants fled the scene on foot but did not disclose how many occupants there were. During the foot chase, officers exchanged gunfire with one occupant, shooting and killing him at the scene.
The department later identified the individual as Davenport resident Kenneth Jamel Carrol, 24.
Watch: Family holds protest in downtown Davenport alleging lack of information about police shooting
Two state troopers, three Davenport police officers and one Bettendorf police officer were placed on "critical incident leave" following the altercation. None were injured in the pursuit.
Those officers are:
- Trooper Kenneth Voorhees, 6.5 years of law enforcement experience (Iowa State Patrol)
- Trooper Dwight Swartz, 5.5 years of law enforcement experience (Iowa State Patrol)
- Officer Brandon Askew, 10 years of law enforcement experience (Davenport Police Department)
- Officer Mason Pauley, 1 year and 11 months of law enforcement experience (Davenport Police Department)
- Officer Benjamin Betsworth, 1 year and 2 months of law enforcement experience (Davenport Police Department)
- Officer Zachary Thomas, 13 years and 1 month of law enforcement experience (Bettendorf Police Department)