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No action taken in Bluffs’ officer involved shooting

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January 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office will take no action against a Council Bluffs police officer involved in a shooting late last year. The Omaha World-Herald reports that at a press conference held Monday, Pott. County Attorney Matt Wilber said an investigation determined officer Jarrod Poore used justified force to protect himself and others during a dangerous situation.

At around 12:40-p.m. on Dec. 23rd, officer Poore fired at a stolen Chevrolet Corvette driven by 33-year-old Jesse Wilkinson as the suspect attempted to strike Poore and another officer in a driveway at 125 Park Avenue. After locating the stolen Corvette, which had been spotted by a Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office deputy earlier in the day, Poore and officer Corey Woodward approached the parked car on foot from behind after parking behind Wilkinson.

The officers told the suspect to put his hands up and get out of the vehicle. Wilkinson allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and sped toward the officers. Poore fired as Woodward got out of the way. The Corvette hit an unmarked police cruiser.

Wilkinson is currently in custody in Omaha, Wilber said. Authorities continue to finalize a list of charges related to the Council Bluffs incident, though he noted assault on an officer with a weapon, felony eluding arrest and possession of a stolen vehicle will be among them. The stolen vehicle charge is a Class C felony, while the other two are Class D felonies. Wilkinson has a laundry list of pending federal and Nebraska state charges as well.