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Accident – Death – Obituary News :
20-year-old who died in shootout with police on New Year’s Day identified
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CEDAR RAPIDS — A 20-year-old man, Michael Griffin of Cedar Rapids, fired an assault-style rifle at police officers as they pursued him on New Year’s Day before a deadly shootout, according to records.
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A search warrant affidavit filed on Wednesday revealed that Griffin had a conversation early Monday with the occupants of 414 Longwood Drive NE. During the conversation, he displayed a black AR-15-style rifle and demanded they disclose the whereabouts of someone he referred to only by a street name. Although they managed to persuade him to leave, gunfire soon erupted, striking the house, the affidavit stated.
Police received a call about the drive-by shooting at 6:24 a.m. on Monday. Witnesses reported seeing shots being fired from a dark sedan, according to the warrant request.
As Cedar Rapids police officers were en route to the area, they spotted a car matching the description, which had its license plate covered by a bag. The officers attempted to pull the car over, but the driver accelerated and fled at speeds reaching up to 75 mph.
During the chase, one person exited the car and was apprehended. The driver, later identified as Michael Griffin, continued to flee. The passenger, a 17-year-old boy, informed the police that Griffin was armed with an AR-15 and began shooting at the officers through the driver’s side window and the back window of the car. Eventually, an officer used a PIT maneuver to stop the car, bringing it to a halt in the 5600 block of Mount Vernon Road SE.
“At this point, the car driven by Michael Griffin was disabled. Upon approaching the vehicle, a gunshot was heard coming from inside Michael’s car. Believing that Michael was still firing, the officers returned fire and neutralized the threat,” stated the warrant request.
When the officers approached the vehicle, they discovered Michael Griffin deceased inside, as mentioned in the warrant request. Thankfully, no officers were injured.
It is unclear how many rounds struck Griffin, as five officers fired at him. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny performed an autopsy, but the final results may take four to five weeks to be available, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
As per standard procedure for officer-involved shootings, the officers involved have been placed on leave while the DCI investigates the incident. The names of the officers have not been released. Additionally, the Cedar Rapids police are conducting an investigation into the drive-by shooting.
Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com
The city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was shaken by a shootout between police officers and a 20-year-old man on New Year’s Day. The suspect, identified as Michael Griffin of Cedar Rapids, fired an assault-style rifle at the officers during a pursuit before being fatally shot. The incident unfolded after reports of a drive-by shooting, which led to a high-speed chase that ended with a deadly exchange of gunfire.
According to a search warrant affidavit filed on Wednesday, Griffin had a conversation with individuals at 414 Longwood Drive NE prior to the shooting. He brandished a black AR-15-style rifle and demanded information about the whereabouts of a person known only by a street name. Although the occupants managed to convince Griffin to leave, gunfire erupted shortly after, with bullets striking the house.
Police were alerted to the drive-by shooting at 6:24 a.m. on Monday. Witnesses reported seeing the shots originate from a dark sedan, providing the authorities with a description of the suspect vehicle. As officers headed towards the area, they spotted a car matching the description, with its license plate concealed by a bag. They attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated and fled at speeds reaching up to 75 mph.
During the pursuit, one person exited the vehicle and was apprehended. Griffin, however, continued to flee while armed with his AR-15. The passenger, a 17-year-old boy, informed the police about Griffin’s weapon and witnessed him firing shots through the car’s windows. The chase came to an end when an officer executed a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver, causing the suspect’s car to come to a stop in the 5600 block of Mount Vernon Road SE.
“At this point, the car driven by Michael Griffin was disabled. Upon approaching the vehicle, a gunshot was heard coming from inside Michael’s car. Believing that Michael was still firing, the officers returned fire and neutralized the threat,” stated the warrant request.
When the officers approached the vehicle, they discovered Griffin deceased inside. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) performed an autopsy, but the final results may take several weeks to be available. It remains unclear how many rounds struck Griffin, as five officers fired their weapons during the exchange.
As is customary in officer-involved shootings, the officers have been placed on leave while the DCI conducts an investigation. The identities of the officers involved have not been disclosed. In addition to the shooting investigation, the Cedar Rapids police are also looking into the initial drive-by shooting.
The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty. The city of Cedar Rapids mourns the loss of Michael Griffin while grappling with the aftermath of the violent confrontation..
