Iowa DCI concludes police use of force justified in Arnell States shooting

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation on Wednesday concluded that Cedar Rapids Police Officer Kyzer Moore was legally justified in his use of deadly force against Arnell States, following a stabbing incident at a Roadway Inn in February.

Police said States stabbed two women inside the hotel, located at 4011 16th Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids. One of the victims of the stabbing, 34-year-old Katrina Brinson, was able to identify States as the suspect. She later died from her injuries.

The conclusion comes following an investigation that included Officer Moore’s bodycam footage and reports issued by the CRPD, Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office and the Iowa DCI Criminalistics Laboratory.

On February 20, police were called to the Roadway Inn at about 1:46 p.m. for a report of a man assaulting a woman in the hallway of the motel.

The report says officer Kyzer Moore was the first to arrive. He activated his bodycam and entered the hotel. He made contact with two women who had blood on them. One of them, Kendra White, gestured in the direction States had fled. Moore chased him down the hallway and out the door, where States had slipped and fallen on the snowy surface outside.

The DCI said Moore’s bodycam footage showed that Moore told Arnell States to “get on the ground,” after seeing a knife in his hand.

States refused, saying “no,” and “shoot me.” States then began walking toward Officer Moore with the knife raised in his right hand.

Officer Moore then told States to drop the knife, but he continued taking steps toward Moore. States took five steps in Moore’s direction, and then Moore fired five shots, striking States twice.

States was taken to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

The report said toxicology testing showed the presence of MDMA (ecstasy), MDMA metabolite MDA), and Fentanyl in Arnell State’s symptoms. The autopsy showed States was about 6′2″ tall and weighed more than 300 pounds. He was found to be holding a 3 inch-long folding knife.

The DCI’s investigation also discovered that States had taken a cab to the motel and forced his way into a room being shared by Kendra White and Katrina Brinson. States attacked both of the women, chasing them into the hallway.

“It was reasonable and justifiable for Officer Moore to draw and fire his service weapon when confronted by a subject who was not only armed with a knife but ignored clear and repeated directives to drop his weapon,” the DCI’s report reads.