Posted on 09/09/2014 12:11:01 PM PDT by iowamark
MAQUOKETA, Iowa- A former city manager who came to a Jackson County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday to dispute his property taxes opened fire, resulting in his death, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.
Francis "Gus" Glaser, 71, a former Maquoketa city manager and Maquoketa resident, was dead after a shot to the head, according to Jackson County Sheriff Russ Kettmann in a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
Kettmann said Glaser used a handgun and fired two shots just before 11 a.m. Tuesday. It was unclear if Glaser meant the second shot for himself or if the gun was discharged in a struggle with a county supervisor, according to Kettmann.
Glaser apparently tried shooting at Jackson County Assessor Deb Lane, but missed, according to officials. That's when Kettmann said Supervisor Larry Koos tackled Glaser to prevent him from shooting again.
It was unclear whether Glaser then fired the gun again at himself or if the gun was discharged by someone else during the struggle with Koos.
Glaser apparently did not have a permit to carry or purchase a handgun, according to Kettmann. Weapons are not permitted inside the Jackson County Courthouse, but there is no metal detector.
County officials apparently have access to a metal-detecting wand, but it is used sparingly in "high-profile cases" and was not used on Glaser, according to Kettmann.
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A county supervisor was apparently injured in a reported courthouse shooting in Maquoketa on Tuesday.
Jackson County Supervisor Larry "Buck" Koos was apparently brought to the Jackson County Regional Health Center with non-life-threatening injuries after an incident at the Jackson County Courthouse, according to Ken Croken, a spokesperson for Genesis Health Systems, which oversees the Health Center.
Koos was not shot, according to Croken. He would not elaborate on the record about Koos' injuries.
Croken also said the Health Center was "not expecting any more victims" as a result of what happened at the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday morning.
The Jackson County Courthouse had a sign on its door noting it would be "closed for the day" and would reopen Wednesday as normal.
The Telegraph-Herald is also reporting that another "unresponsive and visibly-injured man" was found lying on the ground holding a gun at the Jackson County Courthouse, where the alleged shooting incident occurred.
That other man was apparently not brought to the Regional Health Center, according to the Telegraph-Herald.
Nearby schools were briefly on lockdown Tuesday morning, but are not on lockdown anymore, according to Davenport television station KWQC.
Maquoketa City Manager Brian Wagner could not confirm the shooting with KWWL but said he did call police to ask if they needed to lock down Maquoketa City Hall because of "what happened." Police told Wagner a lockdown was unnecessary.
Neither the Jackson County Sheriff's Office nor the Maquoketa Police Department would confirm anything to KWWL yet. The Jackson County Regional Health Center also would not confirm the Telegraph-Herald's information.
The Telegraph-Herald also reported that the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation was on its way to investigate.
Jackson County officials said they would be releasing more information Tuesday afternoon.
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A shooting is being reported at the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, according to at least one newspaper.
The Maquoketa Sentinel-Press reported on its Facebook page that a shooting was reported at the courthouse in Maquoketa just after 11 a.m.
The newspaper reported "at least" one person was reported injured and a possible suspect had been detained.
According to the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, the shooting occurred during the morning meeting of county supervisors.
KWWL tried confirming the information with police and sheriff's officials but could not confirm as of Tuesday morning.
An employee at Brad Deery Motors, a business across the street from the courthouse, told KWWL by phone there were two ambulances and a police vehicle outside of the courthouse Tuesday morning. The employee did not want to give her name.
Callers also told KWWL a street in front of the courthouse was blocked off, but it was unclear which street.
The Jackson County Courthouse is located at 201 W. Platt St. in Maquoketa.
The County Supervisor was treated and released.
As sure as the sun coming up tomorrow.
It seems he had a fundamental misunderstanding about how to resolve a dispute.
For our county courthouse, you would not be able to get in the building with a gun on your person. It has been that way for years, maybe since 9-11.
Moron, Tax disputes should be done via Buckets of Tar and sack full of feathers....
Well at least that is how we USED to handle tax disputes....
No problem, just interview both sides and it'll sort itself out.
Our little tiny town spent $50,000 last year to buy the commissioners a bullet proof table they can flip over and hide behind (when attacked by irate taxpayers, I guess). It was an utterly stupid, silly thing to do, but it does reveal how much the people in charge hate and fear the governed.
The thing that always amazes me is that none of our commissioners are professional politicians. But it only seems to take a few years of elected office to change all of them, even the “reformers,” into “us” (the government) as opposed to “them” (the people who elected “us”).
I wonder how he managed to get that gun without a permit?
“Our little tiny town spent $50,000 last year to buy the commissioners a bullet proof table they can flip over and hide behind (when attacked by irate taxpayers, I guess).”
PLEASE. DON’T TELL OBAMA.
Francis “Gus” Glaser, reminiscing his position as an entitled, coddled “public servant”.
He probably already has several tables. Plus his squad of Black Muslim bodyguards...he’ll be fine.
I think I can live with body cavity searches of current and former government executives and elected officials...
He didn’t have a permit. The outrage.
Another news article about a public official breaking laws and resorting to violence and no mention of race or party affiliation.
Good question...since we all know that the only way to get a gun is by registering it. Must be the NRA’s fault. /s
Our formerly user-friendly courthouse became an unapproachable fortress @ 1997-98 when they prepared it for the trial for Mir Aimal Kasi, the CIA shooter. When so much time had passed after the shooting, I’d suspected they quietly took care of business overseas, but no, they captured him and brought him here to stand trial. Used to go to that courthouse quite regularly, now I don’t think I’ve been there more than 2-3 times since its arming. These terrorists have made everyday life in the US such a pain.
These terrorists have made everyday life in the US such a pain.
NO that is not true.
The US Government and State governments have made life a pain by not profiling, having porous borders and letting in Islamics at a rapid clip.
You’re right.
“Glaser apparently did not have a permit to carry or purchase a handgun, according to Kettmann.”
I find this comment by ‘Kettmann’ interesting...I under stand ‘permit to carry’...I was surprised to learn that Iowa requires a ‘permit to purchase’ a handgun.
This seems to be just a gnat’s eyelash short of ‘registration’.
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