Statement on Dec. 24, 2024, Incident

Dec. 27, 2024

Dubuque experienced its first officer-involved shooting incident in 15 years on Tuesday, December 24th. We, as your Police Chief, City Manager, and Mayor, want to take a moment to acknowledge the distress and trauma incidents like this can cause within the community, and discuss what we can all expect in the coming days.

Our police officers know every time they report for duty, they may have to make a split-second decision with permanent implications. No one involved in the incident could have imagined when they woke up that morning how their day would unfold.

The juvenile suspect and the police officers involved, as well as their families and friends, are all processing a traumatic experience and may be under tremendous emotional distress. It is important we acknowledge that, and they receive support from those close to them and understanding from the community. Incidents like this can also be distressing for the community at large as we search for facts and understanding. It is critical the Dubuque community acknowledges that interactions with law enforcement can be traumatic for community members due to many things, including race, history, and recent events around the nation. On December 26th, we met with community leaders to discuss the event and community impact. We are committed to continuing an open dialogue with those individuals and the community. We are committed to transparency and sharing the facts as law permits.

The case is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) as is protocol for any officer-involved shooting. Upon completion of DCI’s investigation, the case will be reviewed by the County Attorney for a decision into the justification of the shooting and whether any criminal charges are appropriate. The County Attorney may choose to have the case reviewed by the Attorney General of Iowa

Additionally, an internal investigation is being conducted to determine if any policies were violated by officers, as is standard protocol for all officer-involved shootings.

The juvenile suspect is in custody facing multiple charges related to this incident and existing warrants from another incident for which the juvenile is being charged as an adult. More facts related to this incident, including the criminal complaint and affidavit filed upon his arrest, will be publicly available soon.

Details outlined in the criminal complaint for this incident include the following:

The suspect had an active felony warrant and other warrants for lesser charges.
The suspect fled from police officers when they made contact.
The suspect stopped fleeing, turned toward officers, and removed a knife from his pocket, which he held at his side.
Officers instructed him to drop the knife.
The suspect refused to drop the knife and stated, “Don’t touch me. I'm going to do it. Get away from me.”
An officer deployed their Taser toward the suspect, but the deployment was unsuccessful.
The suspect ran toward two officers in close proximity, with the knife swinging in his hand.
Two officers fired their service weapons, striking the suspect in the arm and shoulder.
The officers then provided first aid to the suspect and recovered the suspect’s knife.

We are thankful no one else was physically injured in this incident and the suspect is recovering. We anticipate additional information will be released by DCI soon and we will share additional information as it is available, as we are able. Because the suspect involved in this case is a juvenile and most juvenile records are confidential, some background information on the case may not be publicly available.

As public servants, we are committed to open communication about this matter in the days and weeks ahead. We appreciate the Dubuque community's understanding and patience.

Dubuque Police Chief Jeremy Jensen

Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen

Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh

Media inquiries regarding this case should be directed to
the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
515.725.6093, dpsinfo@dps.state.ia.us