DES MOINES, Iowa — In Des Moines Wednesday, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment to 47-year-old Shawnna Marie Cunningham for her connection in a Sept. 16 officer involved shooting.
Offenses include her possession of a firearm after admitting to methamphetamine use along with aiding and abetting the possession and disposal of a firearm to Joshua Dean Green, who was a convicted felon.
The nine-millimeter pistol Green would use against officers Sept. 16 was originally purchased by Cunningham in 2020.
Green had previously been arrested with the gun in 2021 for unlawful possession by a convicted felon, and the gun was returned to Cunningham in 2022 at her request. After his release from prison in 2024, Cunningham again allowed Green access and use of the firearm.
According to court documents Cunningham was a passenger in a car driven by Green when he refused to stop after Des Moines police officers tried to pull him over Sept. 16.
Following a pursuit that ended with Green crashing the car near E 24th Street, he continued to not comply with officers.
Police used a taser on Green while taking him into custody, and he allegedly began struggling violently against officers.
In his struggle, Green managed to begin shooting at officers with the nine-millimeter pistol that was owned by Cunningham.
Officer Jacob Boekhoff was shot in the arm and Officer Cade Moritz was shot in the head. Both would survive.
Three of the four officers on scene quickly returned fire, hitting Green, and he would later die in the hospital.
Cunningham would be uninjured after the incident, but a methamphetamine pipe would be found in her possession and she admitted to using the drug.
It is a federal crime to own a firearm as a drug user.
If convicted, Cunningham could face 15 years in prison for each of the three counts.
EDITOR NOTE: The video below originally aired Sept. 20.