A Marshalltown man says the city should pay for the damage to his rental property which was caused by a police department SWAT team during its failed search for a murder suspect.
Ron Iole told the Marshalltown City Council Monday that he filed a claim with the city’s insurance carrier, reporting approximately $19,000 in damages from the January 20th incident in which a SWAT unit surrounded Iole’s building and fired nearly 30 canisters of tear gas inside.
But officials denied the claim, saying the city was not responsible. Iole says he can’t afford to remove the tear gas odor and other repairs. Council members say they’ll look for ways to help. The incident occurred as authorities sought 19-year-old Jose Enrique Morales, who was wanted for first-degree murder. Morales has since been located and charged.
(Reporting by Chuck Shockley, KFJB, Marshalltown)