FORT DODGE, Iowa — A Webster County deputy was justified in shooting and killing a woman who charged at law enforcement armed with knives, according to the Iowa Attorney General's Office.
Around 7:10 p.m. on Aug. 4, a 911 call was placed to Webster County Dispatch from a resident in the 1500 block of 20th Avenue South in Fort Dodge reporting a female, identified as Melissa Halda, that was armed with large knives and acting erratically.
Deputies from the Webster County Sheriff's Office and a Fort Dodge police officer responded to the call.
Arriving at the home, Deputy Brett Knippel and Deputy Jenny Randleman, along with a Fort Dodge officer, located Halda in the backyard.
"She was armed with two large knives one in each hand and behaving erratically," Special Assistant Attorney General Scott Brown writes in a Sept. 15 opinion. "At all times during law enforcement contact with Halda, she held each of the knives with a grip consistent with and best suited to stabbing another person."
Halda then told officers she would kill them before making an "aggressive move" towards Officer Jody Chansler and walking towards Deputy Randleman.
According to the AG's Office review of car and body cam video, all officers had weapons drawn and gave commands for Halda to drop the knives and comply with them.
As Halda continued towards Knippel and Randleman, they moved past the driveway and near other homes and vehicles in the area.
"Both deputies had taken a position just off the lane with their backs to several vehicles," Brown continues. "The vehicles made it difficult for the officers to further retreat if needed."
It was at that time Knippel fired his weapon at Halda, when she was "within a few feet" from the deputies.
An autopsy showed that she was struck by four bullets causing her death.
Brown also that Deputy Knippel's response was "entirely legally justified", noting that Deputy Randleman would have been unable to effectively deploy a TASER "due to her size and mobility."
"The decision to fire at Halda was reasonable under the circumstances. Prior to discharging his weapon, Knippel and other officers were faced with a deadly threat solely created by Melissa Halda," Brown concludes. "Halda was provided every opportunity to end the confrontation peacefully. Instead, Halda continued the treat by charging at two officers."
Read the Attorney General's Office review below
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