Cedar Rapids police release video of April officer-involved fatal shooting

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Police Department released body camera footage Tuesday from an April 6 officer-involved fatal shooting.

The shooting killed David Vanderhamm and injured his stepfather, John Coppes. A review by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office cleared the three Cedar Rapids officers involved in the shooting.

The Gazette edited about 10 seconds of the video showing the actual shooting and deceased body. The remainder of the video released, including a statement by Police Chief David Dostal, is posted.

Below is the earlier article from July 15:

Iowa Attorney General’s Office: Fatal shooting by Cedar Rapids police officers was justified

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office released a report Monday stating that the fatal shooting of a Cedar Rapids man in April by three Cedar Rapids Police officers was legally justified

Sgt. Alex Haas, Officer Emily Habeck and Officer Skylar Mullins all fired toward David Vanderhamm and John Coppes on April 6, after Vanderhamm pointed what the officers believed was a real gun at Haas, according to the report.

The shooting happened after 6:30 p.m., but earlier that day — at about 2:30 p.m. — police had interacted with Vanderhamm, 39. His mother, Charlotte Coppes, called 911 to ask officers to take Vanderhamm to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. She told police he had access to a gun and described him as paranoid and violent, the report states.

Vanderhamm went with police and his mother to the hospital, but refused treatment. He walked away from the hospital and was picked up by John Coppes, his stepfather, who took him back to his residence in the 200 block of 31st Street NE.

At about 6:40 that evening, Vanderhamm made several 911 calls requesting that officers come to his home.

“During these calls, Vanderhamm made statements about wanting to fight with officers, that he was going to ‘kill you all,’ and that he was a junkie and did not deserve to live,” the report states.

Charlotte Coppes could be heard on the call saying “David don’t. David don’t.” She advised dispatch that Vanderhamm had a gun, and Vanderhamm could be heard saying “headshot, I’m not aiming for knees,” according to the report.

Multiple police officers responded to the scene. Vanderhamm and John Coppes were seen leaving the home. Vanderhamm, who appeared to be armed with a gun, smashed his cellphone on the ground.

Officers approached Vanderhamm, and he started walking east on 31st Street NE, toward First Avenue. Police told Vanderhamm to drop his gun, but he refused and yelled profanities at the officers. John Coppes remained nearby and was attempting to de-escalate the situation.

Vanderhamm raised his weapon — which was later found to be a black Sig MPX CO2 air rifle with the stock removed — and pointed it at Haas. The three officers responded by firing multiple times, hitting both Vanderhamm and John Coppes multiple times.

Vanderhamm was pronounced dead at the scene. John Coppes was treated on scene and taken to UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital and later the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to be treated for two gunshot wounds — one in his abdomen and one on the right side of his head.

John Coppes later told police that Vanderhamm had experienced psychosis and had severe anxiety, and “that Vanderhamm had wanted to commit suicide by cop,” the report states.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the shooting, and delivered its findings to the Attorney General’s Office to review. The office stated in its report that the shooting was legally justified based on a previous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that states “the use of deadly force by a police officer must be evaluated from the perspective of a reasonable police officer on the scene and in the same circumstances,” and can’t be evaluated “from the perspective of a civilian or the perspective afforded by 20/20 hindsight.”

“The decision to fire at Vanderhamm was reasonable under the circumstances,” the report reads. “Vanderhamm set in motion and continued the circumstances that brought about his death. His actions gave rise to reasonable fears that the lives of everyone in his vicinity were in grave danger.”

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com