Iowa deputy cleared in shooting of man accused of killing grocery store worker

An Iowa deputy was justified in shooting a man accused of killing a grocery store worker at random, a prosecutor has determined.

Delaware County Attorney John Bernau said in a statement Thursday that Deputy Matt Menard’s shooting of Nathan Russell in November “was reasonable under the circumstances of the moment, to not only protect his own life, but also the lives of nearby citizens.”

Russell, 39, is jailed on first-degree murder and other charges. His next court hearing is Jan. 5. A message left Friday with his attorney wasn’t immediately returned.

Fareway Meat and Grocery store employee Aaron McAtee, 48, was shot on Nov. 7 near a loading dock at the store in the eastern Iowa town of Monticello, a community of about 4,000 people. Police Chief Britt D. Smith called it an “act of random violence.”

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McAtee was airlifted to a hospital, where he died.

Investigators determined that Russell, of East Dubuque, Illinois, was the suspect and began a search. A Delaware County deputy spotted Russell in the town of Hopkinton, Iowa, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Monticello.

Smith said the deputy, later identified as Menard, shot Russell when he refused to comply as the officer tried to detain him.

“When the whole of the incident is looked at objectively, Deputy Menard’s actions in shooting Russell were reasonable and legally justified under Iowa law and he will face no criminal liability,” Bernau said.

Menard is a 25-year law enforcement veteran, including 14 years with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Bernau said.