Two Cedar Rapids police officers recalled man racking shotgun, taking aim to kill them

CEDAR RAPIDS — It happened in a matter of seconds when Brandon Lee Nelson swung his car door open and got out with a black shotgun, but two Cedar Rapids officers on Thursday said they clearly recalled the sound of Nelson racking the gun and then aiming it at them July 30, 2022.

Both believed he was going to kill them.

Officer Blair Klostermann Cavin testified at Nelson’s trial that Nelson took a couple of steps toward her and raised the gun to his shoulder twice, pointing it in her direction. She pointed her service pistol at him and started yelling for him to drop the gun.

The other officer, Matt Jenatscheck, who drove up on the left side of her police cruiser, testified he saw Nelson’s leg swing out before he stood up slowly with a long black gun. Nelson was “100 percent focused on Blair.” He didn’t think Nelson even saw him at that moment.

After Nelson took aim at Cavin, Jenatscheck got out of his vehicle and pointed his service pistol at Nelson.

Both officers were behind their open car doors and yelling at Nelson to drop the weapon.

Cavin said she didn’t want to die and didn’t want to shoot Nelson, but then Nelson took a few steps toward them and “zeroed in,” aiming the shotgun at Jenatscheck.

She fired four shots and Jenatscheck fired eight times, hitting Nelson. Nelson discharged the shotgun once.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks asked Cavin if she recalled hearing that shot.

“I still hear it today,” Cavin said, as her mother, who was in the courtroom, started crying.

On trial

Nelson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, is on trial this week in Linn County for one count of attempted murder; two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon; three counts of assault on a peace officer with a dangerous weapon; two counts of interference with official acts while armed with a firearm; and one count each of going armed with intent, persons ineligible to carry dangerous weapons, eluding, reckless driving and driving while barred.

The prosecution continues its case Friday, and the defense may its case Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday.

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High-speed chase

Cavin, who was working the overnight shift, 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. on July 30, 2022, said K-9 Officer Alexander Rink had relayed information that he was in a pursuit of a Chrysler Sebring, going 90 to 93 mph in a 35 mph zone on Edgewood Road SW. She started in that direction and then heard that Rink was trying to catch up with the suspect, later identified as Nelson, but then Nelson turned around and tried to strike Rink’s vehicle head-on.

Rink was told to terminate the chase because of safety concerns for all involved. Cavin made it over to Edgewood Road and saw the Sebring on Johnson Avenue “flying over the hill northbound.”

She was on F Avenue and Edgewood and thought Nelson might go by, which he did, headed north at a high rate of speed.

Cavin said other drivers were in the area, and she felt like she needed to protect the citizens, so she followed Nelson without lights and sirens because she didn’t have permission to make a traffic stop.

Nelson was “playing chicken” — weaving in and out of the lanes at other cars. She said this made her “angry” because he was putting others in danger.

She lost sight of him and then drove back to Johnson and Edgewood, parking out of view by a bar, Westside Tap. Over the radio, she heard that Area Ambulance personnel were almost hit by the Sebring.

She then called one of her supervisors and voiced her concerns, requesting to follow the Sebring and get the license plate number, which the supervisors OK’d.

Shortly after that call, the Sebring headed north and Cavin followed him to get the plate number. He was going 60 mph but she got the plate, as he was swerving in and out of the lanes.

Cavin then asked another supervisor if she could do a traffic stop after Nelson turned onto Glass Road NE. The supervisor agreed as long as it was safe to do.

Nelson abruptly stopped in the middle of the road but still had the Sebring’s brake depressed. He then quickly took off, heading east on Glass Road.

The traffic stop

Cavin said she caught up with Nelson at Wenig Road NE when the Sebring slowed at the stop sign. She was hoping he might pull over and activated her lights to make the traffic stop, but he took off, going 90 mph, down a hill and then slammed on his brakes and stopped in the 2200 block of Glass Road.

Cavin stopped and radioed her location. Another officer — Jenatscheck — pulled in behind her vehicle and drove up on the left side of her vehicle.

Both she and Jenatscheck testified each initially thought Nelson was going to get out and run when he swung open the Sebring door and waited a few seconds before getting out with the shotgun.

Shots fired

Dashboard camera and body camera videos and still photos of the pursuits and traffic stop were shown to the jurors during the officers’ testimony.

In the video, Nelson’s gun appears to discharge after he is struck.

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Jenatscheck said he fired eight times, but Nelson was still aiming at him and he didn’t know, at that time, if Cavin had fired. He couldn’t hear his own firearm but knew he was firing. He had “auditory exclusion,” a temporary loss of hearing under high-stress situations. But he did hear a “loud blast” coming from Nelson’s gun.

Nelson fell to the ground, and Jenatscheck and other officers handcuffed him and rendered aid. Nelson, he said, looked “ashy and bluish” and he was groaning.

Nelson was hit by three gunshots. The officers were not injured.

Jenatscheck said he kept asking Nelson to tell them his name, but he wouldn’t tell them. Nelson did apologize, saying he hadn’t wanted this to happen. Jenatscheck said he kept talking to Nelson, wanting him to stay alive.

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