KHN – Des Moines police released body camera footage on Tuesday showing officers shooting and killing a guy wanted on warrants for domestic violence assault and felon in possession of a firearm.
Senior police officers Brian Stern and Nicholas Rude were seen entering 32-year-old Charquan Mylick Hargrove’s residence on the city’s southeast side on Jan. 2 in an attempt to locate him. Minutes later, Hargrove can be seen racing into a room. Rude chases Hargrove into the chamber, where he shoots his firearm.
Rude rushes inside a child’s room with a crib and a baby seat to seek refuge and returns fire. Hargrove finally shoots toward the front of the house, where Stern is, and then enters the room with Rude, holding a gun “with his finger appearing to be on the trigger,” according to a video narrative provided by department spokeswoman Sgt. Paul Parizek.
Police slowed down a section of the footage, which shows Hargrove aiming a revolver at Rude as he falls to the ground.
Both Rude and Stern fire their firearms, striking Hargrove, who is shown dead on the floor of the child’s chamber. A resident and Hargrove’s 5-month-old child are also present in the room. Another child is in a separate room.
According to Parizek, video evidence indicates gunshot holes in walls caused by Hargrove’s rifle aimed at Rude and Stern. Hargrove claimed to have fired four of the 26 bullets fired by officers.
After Hargrove is shot, the lady hugs her infant and yells at the officers, “That was overkill.” “Call an ambulance.” Later, while holding both children, he said, “You killed their father. What the heck is wrong with you? “You killed their father in their home.”
Rude handcuffs Hargrove and then administers to his wounds while another cop, who did not fire her weapon, speaks with an agitated Rude. “You’re good,” officer Destiny McGinnis says. “Your life or his.”
Both the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the Polk County Attorney’s Office exonerated the officers involved in the incident and announced that no charges would be filed. Rude and Stern are on paid administrative leave, as is customary in officer-involved shooting situations.
According to Parizek, Des Moines police had attended to the home nine times since October 4 for domestic violence incidents between Hargrove and the lady.