Burlington, IA — On Monday, the Burlington police department released a 12-second clip from a Burlington Police officer’s body cam, showing him shooting and killing Autumn Steele.
Gabriel Steele, Autumn’s husband, was loading up their 4-year-old son, when Autumn began yelling at Gabriel.
“He’s got my kid!” yells Autumn.
Officer Jesse Hill was at the Steele residence acting as an escort in their domestic dispute incident. During this commotion, the couple’s dog came running out of the house.
“Hey, hey, quit fighting, stop it,” says Hill.
In the video, we can hear the dog growl at which point Hill says, “Get your dog.” Only moments later, Hill fired off two rounds, completely missing the dog.
However, one of the shots struck and killed Autumn Steele.
The dog was not hit, nor did it have to be shot for Hill to “make it home to his family” that night.
The Burlington Police Department and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation have been anything but transparent in this investigation.
Other than releasing the ridiculously short 12-second video, the DCI, the BPD, and the Des Moines County Attorney’s office have denied requests by the HawkEye, for all other portions of the investigation.
Earlier this month Des Moines County Attorney, Amy Beavers released a seven-page report detailing the reasons why Officer Hill will not face charges for killing Autumn Steele.
According to the Des Moines Register:
Beaver’s report makes reference to her rationale for not charging Hill with crimes that clearly aren’t supported by the evidence, such as felony involuntary manslaughter, which requires the commission of some other crime at the time of the homicide, and murder. Her report makes no mention of misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter, which is imposed in cases where a “person unintentionally causes the death of another person by the commission of an act in a manner likely to cause death or serious injury.”
In her report, Beaver cited the fact that Hill is a police officer. Beaver says that he was in a difficult situation in which he was trying to stop a domestic dispute as well as protect himself from a dog. Being that he was a police officer, in this situation, he is entitled to special treatment, according to Beaver.
Does Beaver’s logic make any sense at all?
This was a clear-cut case of one person negligently taking the life of another person.
Try to imagine a situation in which a non-police officer shoots and kills their neighbor in their front yard, either accidentally or not. Then try to imagine this non-police officer escaping any and all accountability. It would not happen.
The fact that the dog was secured without needing to be killed, illustrates the unnecessary actions of the officer.
Police officers are supposedly highly trained professionals, prepped to make hasty decisions in volatile situations. This is a claim that we hear all the time from the police themselves as well as supporters. Being able to make this claim means that holding them less accountable than the average citizen, should never occur.
Because of their monopoly on the use of force, cops should be held to a much higher standard of conduct than the average citizen. Unfortunately, this is almost never the case.
Source Article from http://thefreethoughtproject.com/body-cam-footage-shows-police-officer-attempt-shoot-family-dog-kill-mother/
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Andrew Mamenko:
March 24, 2015 at 5:07 PM
So I assume that since he feared for his life because the dog was about to attack him. When he missed the dog and shot the mom, the dog must have been able to attack him right? The cop obviously must have been bitten and maliciously wounded after firing and missing his attacker. Come on right? Or did the cop over react and really is a pussy who cant aim or shoot for shit! That was never in any real danger and still never got bit by dog! Even though the dog had every right to eat the shit out of that pig!
Reshane Francis:
March 24, 2015 at 5:14 PM
How dare you! How dare you say something so vile and disrespectful.
That dog has the right to a better meal than that.
Bill Hughes:
March 24, 2015 at 8:37 PM
I doesn’t matter the charge is called manslaughter it means you didn’t try to kill someone but you action were reckless that caused someone to die. If a person is that close to the dog you don’t shoot at the dog because you could hurt and kill that person. The D.A. work closely with police in all criminal matters and they become sometimes to close to be able to make a fair decisions. I think we need to be a special court for police where there is no “beyond reasonable doubt” but have civil guilt “preponderant of evidence” for the conviction. We do this in the military and the are serving their country. No Jury trial when cop is sued his money is drained to zero, before insurance comes in to pay the rest off. They also have in their unions that is written into their contracts they just not liable for their crimes. it was reckless act that killed an innocent woman. Now let get FBI involved, because the DA is now going to cover for the officer who is wrong. We need to start sending a message to police they will be held respond and will be punished harshly for crimes they have committee and if they chose to cover for their fellow officers. Cop investigation cops is a bad idea all, investigators today are all cops or former cops who are taught as young officer to lie and cover for their fellow offices. We need to hold them to higher standard like we for our own military. Write new constitution that waves certain right like we in military under U.C.M.J.
Daniel Doscher:
March 24, 2015 at 9:04 PM
Bill Hughes No the officer wasn’t reckless, the mother just got in the way. Not what I believe, but it’s probably what the defense will try to say, if there’s even a trial. =P
Levi Cheely:
March 24, 2015 at 9:20 PM
Daniel Doscher No trial, She has decided not to charge the officer, There have been some protests over it, but nothing is coming of it, the DA refuses to hand the case over, and has declared she will not charge the officer, and that is…
Kari Uuretsuru:
March 24, 2015 at 4:46 PM
you can look and see that the dog was farther than 10 feet from the officer when he shot at it and hit the mother.. the couple were closer to the officer than the dog when he shot… this officer should be arrest for murder… the dog was not a threat to that officer at all so there was no reason to pull his gun…
Michael Mleko:
March 24, 2015 at 5:26 PM
This is ridicilous i dont even have words to describe the anger i feel reading these stories when the rebellion starts someone please come get me i wanna be on the front lines
Josh Butcher:
March 24, 2015 at 6:35 PM
Don’t wait. Go start it.
Sascha Lange:
March 24, 2015 at 6:52 PM
It already started, are you blind, good things take time, first we have to educate the masses…
Charles Miller:
March 24, 2015 at 7:28 PM
Sascha Lange… Net neutrality will somehow wind up putting the brakes on the education of the dumb-masses.
Levi Cheely:
March 24, 2015 at 9:21 PM
Many are out on the front lines, even the mayor at least came and spoke, but the DA refused to come out of her hole when there was protestors on the courtroom stairs
Joe Tyttinger:
March 24, 2015 at 5:37 PM
He needs to be charged with negligent homicide…..period. Perhaps the woman’s family will take care of this criminal cop if the injustice system won’t.
John Spires:
March 24, 2015 at 5:22 PM
If that was my wife I would of shot that cop in hisfu-king head them pissed in his mouth.I pray that some person in that town kills him or his wife in front of his kids come on karma.
Lorraine Pope Nation:
March 24, 2015 at 5:32 PM
Since he was fighting with the wife and taking his kid I am sure he didn’t care.
Levi Cheely:
March 24, 2015 at 9:22 PM
Lorraine Pope Nation Actually he did care, please don’t assume, These where my neighbors and although they had rough times, they really did love each other, you have no idea the pain this man is feeling after him and there child witnessed autumn gunned down 2 feet from them.
Eric Geordano:
March 24, 2015 at 5:41 PM
when we finally stop accepting this garbage, that cop should be in prison for murder
Brian F Piekiel:
March 24, 2015 at 6:55 PM
“When we finally stop accepting this garbage……” is the key phrase in your post. No,
Jason Kavalary:
March 24, 2015 at 5:55 PM
If all of these police were required to work 6-12 months in a jail prior to going on the street, they would be a lot less trigger happy… You learn how to handle stressful and potentially violent situations without having the option to shoot. Not everyone is cut out to be a cop, if your first line of defense is to pull the trigger, you need to look elsewhere for employment.
Patrick Borush:
March 24, 2015 at 8:23 PM
and what fantasy world do you live in that the police are not armed or are more in control or gentle inside the jails… the average guard isnt armed all he has is a billy club to beat you with on a whim but they have this group called riot control…. Can you say tear gas and concussion grenades, rubber bullets and the fact that those that are inside are even more twisted then the psychos riding the streets… Just think the ones that are the prison and jail guards were just a bit too short of something to be a cop or a bit too touched one way or the other so they are super rejects that got picked on in school or bullied or what not… Now imagine putting them in charge of a facility where there is no accountability what so ever or camera’s that arent controlled by them… no press allowed no phone calls out if they dont want them either or letters… no the whole system is shot from the ground up…
Jason Kavalary:
March 24, 2015 at 11:00 PM
I worked in a jail for 4 years, the most dangerous weapon we had was our Motorola radio, everything else was wits and teamwork and we were on camera 24/7. I can’t speak for all jails, especially private ones. Firearms are not allowed inside of a jail, even the police have to cjeck their weapons at the sally port when dropping off inmates. Corruption can be anywhere but it isn’t everywhere. My point is that working a jail would teach police how to handle dangerous situations with options other than the panic and shoot mentality that was witnessed here. When you get comfortable controlling 20 plus violent felons on a daily basis, a barking dog is very unlikely to make you go condition black and start spraying and praying. There are good cops and bad cops, good institutions and bad institutions. I lost interest in law enforcement after 4 years at the jail and I was too educated to get a police job in the area I lived, I already had a bachelors degree which would have forced them to pay me more, so candidates with an associate only were more desirable before you assume I am a dimwit for working in corrections.
Erika Domnick:
March 24, 2015 at 8:25 PM
Let’s face it, cops have absolutely NO REASON to refrain from killing you, for ANY reason, at ANY time, in ANY situation. They are investigated by their own, exonerated by their own, and if any fault is found, it will be paid for, by us. Where is the incentive to handle a situation without killing? Especially when they get paid vacations, every time they kill someone? It’s completely fucking asinine and it’s not going to stop until we the people MAKE IT STOP.
Savanas Xavier:
March 24, 2015 at 8:59 PM
Well said. I’m going to use this verbatim if you don’t mind.
Mike TheVet:
March 24, 2015 at 6:09 PM
Uh, looks like negligent homicide to me.
“Qualified immunity” needs to die a fiery death. It’s killing accountability, especially for public officials who already have none in this Country.
Alan Peter:
March 24, 2015 at 6:02 PM
…Good example of when a cop should take a step back and not escalate the situation. I am afraid the underlying message here is that: Ok Americans, since you are complaining about us shooting you, we’ll kill your animals. The number of dog shootings by law enforcement is rising. And, how do you aim for a dog at 15 feet and kill a woman instead?
Gary Gray:
March 24, 2015 at 5:50 PM
YOU FUCKING PIG YOU KILLED SOMEONE!!!! FEED THAT FUCK CHARGES NOW!!!!
Christopher Perrera:
March 24, 2015 at 7:23 PM
If there were no cops, this mother would be alive.
Chris Sudyod:
March 24, 2015 at 8:04 PM
Plenty of innocent good people would be still be alive. No one is “protected” by police. Protect yourself.
Christopher Perrera:
March 24, 2015 at 10:20 PM
Chris Sudyod Yupp and if say the father had obeyed orders and attempted to euthanize his dog, missed and shot the cop killing him, he’s be in jail right now. 2 sets of rules… “ours” and “theirs”.
Shaun Hensley:
March 24, 2015 at 6:16 PM
Cops think they can wait this out
Judy Lxn:
March 24, 2015 at 5:33 PM
sonuvabitch.
Harry Houston:
March 24, 2015 at 5:10 PM
Section 241 of Title 18 is the civil rights conspiracy statute. Section 241 makes it unlawful for two or more persons to agree together to injure, threaten, or intimidate a person in any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the Unites States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same). Unlike most conspiracy statutes, Section 241 does not require that one of the conspirators commit an overt act prior to the conspiracy becoming a crime.
The offense is punishable by a range of imprisonment up to a life term or the death penalty, depending upon the circumstances of the crime, and the resulting injury, if any.
TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 241
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same;…
They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/crm/241fin.php
For the purpose of Section 242, acts under “color of law” include acts not only done by federal, state, or local officials within the their lawful authority, but also acts done beyond the bounds of that official’s lawful authority, if the acts are done while the official is purporting to or pretending to act in the performance of his/her official duties. Persons acting under color of law within the meaning of this statute include police officers, prisons guards and other law enforcement officials, as well as judges, care providers in public health facilities, and others who are acting as public officials. It is not necessary that the crime be motivated by animus toward the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin of the victim.
The offense is punishable by a range of imprisonment up to a life term, or the death penalty, depending upon the circumstances of the crime, and the resulting injury, if any.
TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, … shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/crm/242fin.php
Logan Mcclelland:
March 24, 2015 at 8:21 PM
I did three and a half f***ing years because I shot a guy to death to PROTECT MY DAD. He was drunk and high and he assaulted my Dad, so I shot him. But because I didn’t have “Officer” or “Deputy” I was guilty on the spot. By the way, my felony conviction got OVERTURNED because the f***king prosecution MISLEAD the jury to convict me. This legal system is designed to protect their own asses. That cop should be charged with Manslaughter and sent away for a long time.
Stephanie Robertson:
March 24, 2015 at 7:50 PM
nothing will happen, nothing will change. it will happen again tomorrow and the next day, nobody will do anything about it, cops will never be charged, and we will sit behind out screens typing away pretending it will help.
Brian Pomerleau:
March 24, 2015 at 6:29 PM
wonder how it would feel if Officer Jesse Hill was shot ?
Mike TheVet:
March 24, 2015 at 6:32 PM
Think about this away from Qualified immunity:
If Officer Hill would have been killed while the man or woman was defending themselves from a k-9 unit barking at them, how many years would Amy Beavers give these people who do not have a group like the Fraternal Order of Police representing them in court?
The double standard in this Country is overwhelming, especially when Public Officials are involved.
Levi Cheely:
March 24, 2015 at 9:24 PM
Wonder how it would feel, if the child who was 2 feet to the right of his mother was shot instead of her….. You have no idea the circumstances, the reason Hill fired is because he had a previous altercation with a dog a few months prior, this was there excuse for him being intimidated by the dog.
Carter Slade:
March 24, 2015 at 6:49 PM
i get it now , so if a dog barks at a cop he has all legal standings to shoot it … ok gotcha , but then how do you kill a woman that is clearly 4 1/2 feet taller ? oh and mind you the dog was at the fence …. lemme say it agian , AT THE FENCE!!! not around , not in direct contact with any one . and if that isnt bad enough , watch the video really closely , the dad was holding his kid no more that 2 feet from her . better training my ass , yall just strait up need a new PUPLICLY OPPERATED police force.
CW Haber:
March 24, 2015 at 7:57 PM
Coward. Oh, at the very least, negligent.
Gina Klinner Waters-Colbert:
March 24, 2015 at 9:10 PM
The Dog was hit by a bullet,deep graze.
Kevin E Voss:
March 24, 2015 at 10:50 PM
The reason this all happened and should not have happened is apparent. The officer is on scene because these two people were fighting in the first place. Why, we must ask, was the officer at least twenty feet away when the couple started fighting? It doesn’t take a trained police officer to know that when two people are angry at each other and you are there to keep them from harming each other you can’t be twenty feet away and expect to prevent a fight. At the very least this officer should be charged with gross dereliction of duty. Some one died because this officer was not doing the job he was paid to do.
Bryan Rubalcava:
March 24, 2015 at 7:33 PM
If you need a gun to fight off a dog, you’re a pussy. I was attacked by a huge bull mastiff that mauled the crap out of me and bit me the fuck up, and if I had a gun, I sill wouldn’t have used it b/c I refuse to harm a dog. That cop is a bitch made pussy who should be shot in the throat and left to choke on his own blood
Chris Fausel:
March 24, 2015 at 9:23 PM
How come everyone on here are against the cop for trying to protect himself? This article is on other news sites and the comments are totally
Different. Trained or not if a vicious dog comes running to attack me I have a right to defend myself.
Mike TheVet:
March 24, 2015 at 9:40 PM
Should the officer be held accountable for killing an innocent person, Chris? I.e. should he go to jail for making a mistake that took someone’s life? Why or why not?
One consequence of using deadly force is hitting someone you didn’t intend to hit. Why should qualified immunity protect this officer from missing his target if he was, as the article states, “a highly trained professional”?
Alivia Smith:
March 24, 2015 at 10:21 PM
Um a woman is dead? I guess that doesnt matter. Cops lives are clearly more important than anyone elses.
Alivia Smith:
March 24, 2015 at 10:23 PM
Also how do you know it was vicious you moron? You’re just nothing but a coward.
Mike Walker:
March 24, 2015 at 8:51 PM
The cop was reckless and MURDERED the innocent woman, he should immediately lose his job and be sent to jail for manslaughter. I hope Karma catches up with this cop before he kills more innocents.