Boone Police Officer Cleared In Fatal Grocery Store Shooting

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By Richard Pratt

Story Created: Dec 10, 2010 at 2:43 PM CDT

Story Updated: Dec 11, 2010 at 7:22 PM CDT

BOONE, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor has ruled that a police officer was justified in fatally shooting a Boone grocery store employee who was swinging a knife.

In a news release Friday, Boone County Attorney Jim Robbins said Officer Rod Thompson used reasonable force in shooting 29-year-old Gerald Beals II.

Robbins says Thompson confronted Beals in the Hy-Vee store freezer area on Oct. 25 and repeatedly ordered Beals to drop the knife. Police Commander Charles Pepples soon arrived and told Thompson to use his stun gun. The stun gun didn't stop Beals, who advanced on Thompson, swinging the knife.

Robbins says Thompson fired his handgun, knocking down Beals, who stood back up. Then Pepples fired his stun gun and Thompson again fired his handgun. Beals finally went down less than 3 feet from Thompson.

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