Police in Council Bluffs late Tuesday evening issued a statement concerning an officer involved shooting that took place earlier in the afternoon. Sgt. Chad Meyers said at approximately 12:39 p.m., two Officers with the Council Bluffs Police Department’s PAR (Police Area Representative) Unit, were attempting to locate a 2012 Blue Corvette that had been reported stolen. The Corvette was reported stolen from an address on Old Lincoln Highway, in Pottawattamie County on December 13th, 2014.

As the Officers were driving southbound in the 100 Block of Park Avenue, they observed a newer blue Corvette pull into the driveway of an apartment complex at 127 Park Avenue and stop near the driveway entrance. The Officers, who were in full Police uniform, stopped their unmarked cruiser in the street and approached the Corvette on foot from behind. As they neared the Corvette, it’s driver put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated toward the Officers, striking and damaging their parked police vehicle. Two shots were fired at driver of the Corvette as it backed toward the Officers. The Officers radioed the shots fired call at 12:39 p.m. and advised that the Corvette had fled the scene southbound on Park Avenue. Neither officer was injured during the assault. There were no other occupants in the Corvette during the incident.

Patrol Officers located the Corvette speeding eastbound on 9th Avenue from Bluff Street. The Corvette led the Council Bluffs Officers on a high speed pursuit on 9th Avenue, where it turned northbound onto I-29 and then west onto I-480. The Officers lost sight of the Corvette near I 480 and Highway 75.
At 1:13 p.m., Officers from the Omaha Police Department located the Corvette abandoned in the 5900 block of No. 35th Street. The interior of the Corvette did contain blood evidence on the driver’s seat area.

Information developed during the investigation identified the driver of the Corvette as 33 year old Jesse Wilkinson of Council Bluffs. Mr. Wilkinson has outstanding warrants for his arrest to include a federal warrant for prohibited possession of a firearm by a felon and State of Iowa warrants for Theft 3rd Degree and Failure to Appear on a controlled substance violation.

Jesse Wilkinson

At 4:00 p.m. members of the U.S. Marshal’s Metro Area Fugitive Task Force located Wilkinson in a house at 5702 No. 35th Street, Omaha, Ne. Wilkinson was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound/wounds to his lower extremities. He was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for treatment of his non-life threatening injuries. Additional charges against Wilkinson will be forthcoming, pending our investigation.  The names of the Officers will not be released at this time. One Officer is a 13 year veteran with the Council Bluffs Police Department and the other is a 14 year veteran with Department.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the Officer involved shooting and our department is conducting the criminal portion of the investigation. Both cases will be coordinated with and reviewed by the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office. The Council Bluffs Police Department would like to thank the citizens who provided vital information to our investigation. We would also like to thank the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Omaha Police Department and U. S. Marshal’s Metro Area Fugitive Task Force for their aid in safely apprehending Jesse Wilkinson.