Officer fires nine times at suspect
Witnesses say man posed definite threat
Witnesses say man posed definite threat
A St. Joseph Police Department officer fired multiple shots at a suspect who allegedly tried to run him down with a vehicle Friday.
Court records show that Officer Joe Herrera fired nine shots at the suspect, 21-year-old Zackery McDonell, and his vehicle. Mr. McDonell wasn’t hit.
The state charged Mr. McDonell with second-degree assault Friday.
According to court records, Mr. McDonell attempted to run down Mr. Herrera in the vicinity of the 6300 block of Morris Street.
The incident started at about 3:35 a.m. Friday as a domestic call with the suspect threatening to kill a female at 6320 Morris St., said Capt. Kevin Castle, a police spokesman.
Mr. Herrera fired multiple shots, hitting the vehicle at least once, Mr. Castle said. Witnesses at the scene said there was a definite threat by the suspect, he said.
Mr. McDonell fled the scene and the vehicle was abandoned at 22nd and Commercial streets, Mr. Castle said. Police arrested Mr. McDonell a short time later in the vicinity of 2700 Cedar St., he said.
Police aren’t releasing any additional details at this time.
Per established personnel procedures, Mr. Herrera is on administrative leave with pay while the incident is reviewed by the department.
This is routine in any case where an officer discharges his weapon, said Jim Connors, commander of the patrol division.
Associate Circuit Court Judge Ronald Taylor refused to set a bond for the defendant.
Mr. McDonell will remain in the Buchanan County Jail until 8:30 a.m. Friday, when he is scheduled to be arraigned before Associate Circuit Judge Keith Marquart.
Marshall White can be reached at marshall@npgco.com.
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Looks like the officer needs to requalify, 9 shots and hit a BIG car once?
Posted by JohnQPublicSafety on May 18, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)Here you all go again. Not once have any of you commented on the actions of the suspect allegeding to have committed this horrible act, but yet, you will crucify the officer that was doing the best he could to stop a fleeing felon. Have any of you, under the circumstances reported able to fire a weapon at a moving vehicle at 3 or 4 in the morning? Unless you were there, don't hold your breath on the facts you see in the newspaper. Be responsible and get your facts straight from the PD. You all wonder why some St. Joseph Police Officers have poor attitudes. Gee, they deserve to have a bad attitude every once in a while, especially when they try to protect and serve a community full of fools and idiots.
Posted by daltra on May 20, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)I don't know about anyone else, but I for one would feel alot safer if I only had to worry about bullets flying aimlessly from a criminal. I understand that the suspect was trying to run down the officer, I get it! But the officer fired his weapon 9 times striking the vehicle once, where did the rest of the bullets end up? Any 12 year old that has taken hunters safety will tell you that you NEVER fire a weapon unless you know what & where your bullet is going to impact. Being a police officer is a career choice,the men and women are not drafted or forced to serve. They are supposed to be highly trained and able to deal with stressful situations intelligently, without prejudice, and distain, if the officers of the St. Joe PD have bad attitudes then they need to be fired just as any other trade. If I were unhappy with my employment whether it be because of money, hours, stress or anything, I would find a different job, one that I could at least offer a friendly smile once in awhile.
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