Hunter
10/06/22
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has ruled that the shooting of a man by two Cedar Rapids police officers was justified.
The Gazette reports that Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks released the report Wednesday detailing the August 30th shooting of 22-year-old William Rich outside a transitional housing complex.
The shooting drew protests until authorities released video of the incident showing Rich armed with a knife after his girlfriend reported that he choked, punched and tried to drown her. He refused to follow commands and began fighting with officers.
Footage showed Rich being pushed back and three shots were heard. He was told to get on the ground, but after falling over, Rich tried to get back up. Four more shots were then fired.
The report states that Rich had the knife in his hand in a position to stab either of the officers. The knife was approximately eight inches in length and had a pointed tip.
The Attorney General’s report concluded that the shooting was justified, exonerating officers Sgt. Bryson Garringer and Investigator Chris Christy.
