Iowa Attorney Generals Office Concludes Officers Acted with Legal Justification in Dubuque County Shooting

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office Concludes that Officers Acted with Legal Justification in a Dubuque County Shooting. The incident occurred on July 1st, when officers from the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, and Monticello Police Department fatally shot James Young Sherrill. He was under investigation for drug activity when he was pulled over in a traffic stop.

According to the report, Sherrill initially cooperated with law enforcement, but then stopped doing so. Things continued to escalate with Sherrill being tased twice to no effect. Sherrill raised a handgun towards an officer and was then shot by other police officers while continuing to struggle. Sherrill was later pronounced dead on his way to the Dubuque County Hospital.

After the initial incident, police officers searched his vehicle. Inside the truck they found heroin, cocaine, marijuana, 5 pounds of methamphetamine, a drug scale, over 15-thousand dollars in cash, and a ledger.

The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has found no fault in the officers for their actions, as they had legal justification.

Image courtesy of the Iowa Attorney General Office’s website.