In the early morning hours of June 8, 2022, in Davenport, Iowa, a call to police about a suspicious man set in motion a chain of events that would end in the death of 45-year-old Jason James Morales. A male of Hispanic or Latino descent, Morales was behind a Casey's gas station when a Davenport police officer responded to the scene.
Initially, the interaction was calm. Morales explained to the officer that his motorcycle had broken down and he was simply waiting for a ride.
However, the situation escalated when the officer discovered that Morales had outstanding warrants and informed him that he was under arrest. At that moment, Morales chose to flee.
As he ran, he reached into his waistband, pulled out a handgun, and fired a shot at the pursuing officer. The officer returned fire, striking Morales. Despite the exchange of gunfire, Morales continued to pose a threat by pointing his weapon at the officer. The officer fired again, and Morales fell to the ground. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An investigation into the shooting later revealed that Morales's gun had jammed after the first shot. It was also discovered through the course of the investigation that Morales had previously made comments about "suicide by cop" if faced with arrest. The Scott County Attorney's Office reviewed the incident, including body camera footage, and determined that the officer's use of deadly force was justified given the threat to his life. No arrests were made in connection with the death of Jason James Morales as the incident was ruled a justified shooting by a police officer in the line of duty.
