Teen Tragedy: Son Killed By Cops After Dad Reports His Stolen Truck, Police Warned TWICE To ‘Back Off’ Pursuit
Nov. 8 2013, Published 1:35 p.m. ET
A shocking attempt by a parent to teach his son a lesson turned into a tragedy when he reported his truck stolen by the teen and a police officer shot the child dead, after being warned twice to not aggressively pursue to vehicle.
Tyler Comstock’s father called the police after his son drove away in his truck following a fight between the two, according to the Des Moines Register.
“He took off with my truck. I call the police, and they kill him,” James Comstock said about the horrific event surrounding his 19-year-old son’s death.
“It was over a damn pack of cigarettes. I wouldn’t buy him none.
“And I lose my son for that.”
He said that his son Tyler was unarmed when he drove away in the truck.
Ames police officer Adam McPherson reportedly saw the truck and followed it onto the Iowa State University campus, and Tyler rammed the police car with his truck.
Officer McPherson ordered the teen out of the car, but when he refused he reportedly fired six shots into the truck. The Iowa state medical examiner’s office said Tyler died from two gunshot wounds.
The Des Moines Register obtained the dispatch audio where an unidentified Ames police office suggested twice that McPherson stop the pursuit.
“If he’s that reckless let’s back off,” the officer tells McPherson once and then again tries to inform him not to continue the pursuit.
“We know the suspect so we can probably back it off,” the officer says.
Tyler’s grandfather, Gary Shepley, expressed his shock over the boy’s death.
“They’re professionals. They’re trained to handle these situations. And if they panic before they even know what’s going on, then ask yourself: What if it was your child?”
He questioned what happened to his grandson.
“So he didn’t shut the damn truck off, so let’s fire six rounds at him? We’re confused, and we don’t understand,” Shepley said.
Officer McPherson is reportedly on paid leave pending an investigation into the shooting.