PERRY, Iowa — Perry Chief of Police Eric Vaughn was injured in a Tuesday morning shooting during a standoff with a suspect, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office said.
A Perry resident shot out the back window of a vehicle before 5 a.m., prompting a response from Perry officers with assistance from Dallas County deputies. Law enforcement searched for the suspect — identified as Jeremiah Messner — for an hour-and-a-half to two hours before the situation evolved into what Deputy Adam Infante called a "rolling standoff."
The man was armed with a handgun but put the weapon down once "some items" were offered to the suspect, including a lighter, Infante added.
"As we went into effect an arrest, [the suspect] made it back to the weapon, a struggle ensued ... and the chief of the Perry Police Department, Eric Vaughn, was shot in the leg," Infante said at a press conference late Tuesday morning.
Vaughn was airlifted to a hospital in Des Moines. He is expected to recover.
"He's currently doing well. He's in good spirits. And he's expected to be released [Wednesday]. So very fortunate this time that that's all that really happened," said Sgt. Jim Archer with the Perry Police Department.
Neighbors around Perry who spoke to Local 5 were all surprised about the news. They called the town a fairly quiet place.
"I don't think is a regular occurrence. I mean, it can happen anywhere. But as far as Perry goes, it's not an everyday thing, no," said Mark Weyers.
Messner was booked into the Dallas County Jail early Tuesday afternoon. According to jail records, he is charged with:
- Attempted Murder
- Going Armed With Intent
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to our "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.