Feb.6th article in newspaper today~ The word "Playful" is nowhere in article or in press release! See video link posted and the word Playful said by Eyewitness.
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| "Police shooting investigation now in hands of county attorney Beavers wants to meet with slain woman's husband. By ANDY HOFFMAN ahoffman@thehawkeye.com A report on the investigation by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation into a fatal police shooting in Burlington last month now is in the hands of the Des Moines County Attorney's Office. County Attorney Amy Beavers said Thursday she has received a "draft DCI case report but it is still awaiting a transcript of Officer (Jesse) Hill's interview" regarding the fatal shooting Jan. 6 of Autumn Steele. Steele, 34, was shot by Burlington Police Officer Hill outside her residence at 104 S. Garfield Ave. during a confrontation with her husband, Gabriel Steele, 35. Beavers said she asked DCI agents to contact Steele because "I would like to introduce myself to him and explain to him where we are in the investigation." She said she doesn't know when, or if, a meeting with Steele might occur. Beavers also said she cannot say when a final decision will be made on whether the shooting of Steele was justified or violated Iowa law or police department protocol. Beavers has two options concerning the DCI investigation. She either can make the decision herself or she can ask the Iowa Attorney General's office to review the DCI report before making her final decision. "I haven't decided whether I am going to ask the attorney general office's to review the DCI report," she said. "If I make the decision myself, it will probably be done in the next 30 days. If I ask the attorney general's office (to review the case), I don't know when the final decision will be made." Beavers also said she does not know if evidence in the case, including video and audio from body or dashboard cameras, will be released to the public. "At the end of the investigation, all evidence will become property of the Burlington Police Department," she said. "It will be up to them to decide what they will release." Steele died from a gunshot wound to the chest during a domestic disturbance with her husband in the mid¬morning hours of Jan. 6 on the sidewalk outside the couple's residence. The 31¬year¬old Hill, who has been on the police department since August 2013, has remained on paid administrative leave since the incident. A witness to the shooting said it appeared Hill was trying to thwart an attack by Steele's dog, a German shepherd mix, during the altercation between Steele and her husband. Ed Ranck, who lives across the street from the Steele residence and saw the shooting, said, "There is no belief in my mind the officer was shooting at the woman. "It appeared he was shooting at the dog when (the officer) fell to the ground," Ranck said. "It's my belief the woman was shot accidentally. The dog startled the officer. The officer began shooting at the dog. The officer was still shooting when he fell down in the snow." Steele was pronounced dead at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. She was shot in the chest in front of the couple's 4¬year¬old son after officers were sent to the area to investigate a domestic dispute. Hill suffered dog bites in the incident and was taken to GRMC for treatment of minor wounds and laterreleased. The dog has been impounded at the Des Moines County Humane Society since the day of the shooting. A hearing has been set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 before Burlington's animal hearing board to determine if Sammy, the German shepherd mix, is vicious and should be euthanized. Maj. Dennis Kramer, who oversees the animal control office for the Burlington Police Department, said Gabriel Steele has been notified of the Feb. 25 hearing. "We are following city ordinance concerning dog bites," he said recently. "The dog attacked a person (Hill), off its property, on the sidewalk. Therefore, our animal control officer (Tim Ourth) was notified." Kramer said due to information Ourth gathered, the hearing will be necessary. "There is a (history by the dog) of aggression toward postal carriers and other (police) officers," he said. A spokesman in the clerk's office at Burlington City Hall, said Thursday there is no record the Steeles purchased a dog license as required by city ordinance." |
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