712 Digital Group - top

Iowa trooper on leave linked to gunshot inside state office

News

June 29th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa trooper who has been on paid leave for 10 months has been linked to a gunshot that occurred inside a state office building. Iowa State Patrol spokesman Nathan Ludwig says the incident involving trooper Wade Karp occurred in December 2016. He says a service weapon was discharged at the patrol’s Post 16 inside the Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines, where Karp was assigned. Ludwig says no one was injured, and that reports detailing the incident are confidential personnel records.

It wasn’t clear whether the discharge was accidental or if it’s part of the internal investigation facing Karp. The Associated Press reported Monday that Karp has been on leave since Sept. 5 and has earned nearly $50,000 since then. The patrol has refused to explain the reason. Karp says he hasn’t committed misconduct, and didn’t respond to inquiries about the discharge.