CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — No charges will be filed in the fatal police shooting of 40-year-old David Vanderhamm, the Iowa Attorney General's Office has decided.
According to a report from Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Vanderhamm's mother called 911 and asked officers to take her son to the hospital for a mental health evaluation shortly before 2:30 p.m. on April 6, telling officers that her son was "violent and paranoid and had access to a gun." Two officers arrived and escorted Vanderhamm to the hospital, where he refused treatment and left the facility.
A few hours later, shortly after 6:30 p.m., Vanderhamm called 911 to request officers come to his home. The report says that Vanderhamm made statements wanting to fight the officers and threatened to kill them. The caller was also heard declaring "Headshot, I'm not aiming for knees."
An officer responded to the home and found that Vanderhamm had left the home along with his stepfather while armed with a gun. According to law enforcement, when officers confronted Vanderhamm and ordered him to put down his gun, he refused and pointed his weapon at one of the officers. Three officers then shot at Vanderhamm, who was killed at the scene. Vanderhamm's stepfather was hit twice but was treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
During the investigation into the shooting, officers learned that the weapon Vanderhamm was carrying was an airsoft rifle.
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