URBANDALE, Iowa (CNN) — The suspect in the fatal shooting Wednesday, Nov. 2, of two police officers in central Iowa was known to police, in part because police asked him to leave an Urbandale High School football game about two weeks ago, Urbandale Police Chief Ross McCarty said at a news conference.
Scott Michael Greene, of Urbandale, was asked to leave the game after he waved a Confederate flag during the national anthem and people complained it was offensive, McCarty said.
“He said he was invoking his First Amendment rights, and we were trampling on them,” McCarty said. The chief also said Greene was in a dispute with his mother, and that the two were involved in a court session on Tuesday; McCarty provided few details about the dispute and said he didn’t know know whether it was a civil or a criminal case.
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A statement was released from the offices of Bettendorf and Davenport police departments and the Scott County Sheriff.
“It is with great sadness today that we learn of the shooting deaths of two Des Moines metro area police officers early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen officers and the brave men and women of the Des Moines Police Department and the Urbandale Police Department. We want to express our unified support for the courageous men and women within our local law enforcement agencies and around the country. We will continue our support for all law enforcement in our quest for peace and safety.”
