Hunter
07/04/25
A federal appeals court upheld a previous ruling that a Coralville police officer was justified in using his weapon after shooting a man during a standoff.
The Press Citizen reports a three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, on June 13, upheld the qualified immunity ruling for Coralville officer Joshua Van Brocklin after he shot Joseph Maser twice outside his home in September 2020.
Maser, who survived the altercation, filed suit against the officer, the City of Coralville, and the Coralville Police Department, claiming that Van Brocklin shouldn’t have qualified immunity because he violated Maser’s 4th Amendment right to avoid unreasonable seizure.
Police were called to Maser’s home in September 2022 after his fiancé requested a welfare check. She stated that Maser had texted her threatening to kill himself, and had shot a hole through the ceiling of his house. She also stated that Maser had been on a three-day drinking binge and had access to firearms.
Arriving officers heard at least one shot and called for a crisis negotiator. The situation escalated when Maser was informed his fiancé was at the scene but he wouldn’t be allowed to speak with her. He left through the front door, ignored commands to put his hands up, and went back inside. He later came out of his garage carrying a rifle. Van Brocklin said he believed Maser was pointing the gun at officers and fired his gun, hitting Maser in the chest.
The appeals court ruling said officers cannot use deadly force just because someone is armed, but can be justified if they believe they are in imminent threat of serious harm.
Any further appeal would have to be made to the US Supreme Court.