ALGONA, Iowa — A man suspected in the fatal shooting of a small-town Iowa police officer is in custody after being captured in Minnesota.
The Brown County Sheriff's Office says the suspected shooter, identified by the Iowa Department of Public Safety as 43-year-old Kyle Ricke of Algona, was taken into custody at an address in Leavenworth Township in rural Sleepy Eye.
During a press conference Thursday morning, Iowa law enforcement officials identified the officer as 33-year-old Kevin Cram, a long-time Algona officer and 10-year-veteran of policing. They said Cram was on patrol duty when he became aware of an active warrant for Ricke for harassment, and had an idea of where he might find him. Officials say Cram encountered the suspect and was fatally shot.
"Algona police officer Kevin Cram died because he answered the call to serve," said Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens, his voice breaking. "Algona police officer Kevin Cram died because he chose to be a beacon of light. Algona police officer Kevin Cram died because he was willing to stand in the gap between good and evil."
Ricke is now charged with first-degree murder In Kossuth County. He will be extradited back to Iowa from Minnesota in coming days.
A press release from Brown County says the sheriff's office was contacted by the Minnesota State Patrol and the Iowa Department of Public Safety soon after the shooting, which took place at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Information was developed placing Ricke near Sleepy Eye, and with the assistance of the Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota State Patrol Air Unit and officers from the Sleepy Eye Police Department, Brown County deputies took the suspect into custody around 11:50 p.m. without incident.
The Algona police officer was shot near the 1100 block of South Minnesota Street just north of the Kossuth County Fairgrounds, according to Iowa authorities. A so-called "Blue Alert" was issued, which Iowa authorities use in cases where they are searching for a suspect involved in the death or serious injury of a peace officer in the line of duty. Residents of Algona were told to lock their doors and shelter in place.
NBC affiliate WHO says online court records show Ricke was in court earlier Wednesday for an initial appearance on a third-degree harassment charge. A criminal complaint issued in the case said Ricke’s ex-girlfriend contacted the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 23 about harassing messages Ricke allegedly sent her.
WHO reports investigator noted that over a two-hour period, Ricke had sent 63 messages and also attempted to call the victim multiple times. The deputy warned Ricke not to contact the victim, but on Aug. 27 the victim let the investigator know Ricke had again contacted her by text and email.
Ricke was arrested on Aug. 28 after allegedly admitting to law enforcement that he had contacted the victim.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, along with Algona police, will release more information during an 11 a.m. press conference Thursday.
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