Leighton C. Fitz, 25

Iowa Falls, Iowa
April 17, 2014

Agencies: Iowa Falls Police Department - Iowa

Cause of death: Shooting

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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

Officers say the standoff was with a man who had posted suicidal messages on Facebook and barricaded himself inside his home.

Sgt. Bright says the man came to the front porch of the home and was pulling a weapon out of his pocket when he was shot by law enforcement officials. The man died at the scene.

A negotiation team had been called in but had not arrived on scene before the man came out the home.

Cell phone video shows state troopers and Iowa Falls police opening fire on Fitz. Police say Fitz never fired a shot at them rounds can be hitting near the officers` feet. Rounds also struck the building behind state troopers.

The video shows cops shooting at cops, missing each other by, in some cases, inches.

Andrew Bonin shot the cell phone video and saw Fitz get gunned down.

“He was like this because I know he threw his cell phone at police and he had his hands in like this and he was digging for something I think and the police said ‘pull your hands out so he goes like this and his hands get to right about here and then they start shooting him,” Bonin recounts.

Devan Miranda also witnessed the shooting.

“He was smoking a cigarette. They told him when he got done with his cigarette and threw his phone at them, and they told him to pull his hands out of his pockets. Put his hands up and they fired at him. I would guess after just a couple rounds he went down and they continued firing,” Miranda says.

Legal Action

April 2014

Killing ruled as justified

April 2016

Lawsuit filed