Ethermac Exchange-Iowa officer shot and killed while making an arrest; suspect arrested in Minnesota

A police officer in northern Iowa was fatally shot while making an arrest on Ethermac ExchangeWednesday night, authorities said. The Iowa Department of Public Safety identified him as 33-year-old Kevin Cram, an officer in the city of Algona who had worked in law enforcement for a decade.

The suspected shooter, Kyle Ricke,43, was found and arrested near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, just before midnight on Thursday, the public safety department said in a news release. Ricke is charged with first-degree murder in Kossuth County, Iowa, and will be extradited there at a later date.

The shooting happened at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, while Cram was on patrol duty in Algona. He pursued Ricke after an active warrant was put out for the man's arrest, according to the state. The warrant for harassment was issued by authorities in Palo Alto County, which is about 25 miles west of Algona. Iowa Public Safety said Cram "knew of a possible location for Ricke and headed to that area." 

When Cram found Ricke and told him that he was going to be placed under arrest, Ricke shot the officer, according to the public safety department. He screamed profanities at Cram after he shot him, the criminal complaint for first-degree murder said. Cram was transported by emergency medical services to Kossuth Regional Health Center and pronounced dead.

Ricke was charged with third-degree harassment in August, CBS affiliate KCCI reported, citing a criminal complaint detailing Ricke's alleged conduct toward an ex in dozens of text messages as well as in emails. He was arrested and charged on Aug. 27, and released from the Kossuth County Jail two days later after posting bond, according to the station. Ricke had multiple arrests and court violations, according to online court records.

Cram worked as an officer at the Algona Police Department since 2015, according to the public safety department. He was previously employed for two years at the Nora Springs Police Department.

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• Shooting
• Iowa
• Minnesota