An Algona, Iowa, police officer was shot and killed on Wednesday during the attempted arrest of a suspect wanted on a warrant. A subsequent manhunt led to the suspect’s apprehension in southern Minnesota hours later.
According to a statement by the City of Algona, Officer Kevin Cram, 33, of the Algona Police Department was on patrol duty in the city when he was made aware of an active arrest warrant for 43-year-old Kyle Lou Ricke. The arrest warrant was for harassment through Palo Alto County, Iowa. Officer Cram knew of a possible location for Ricke and headed to that area. Officer Cram was in the 1100 block of South Minnesota Street in Algona when he observed Ricke. After advising Ricke he was going to be placed under arrest, Ricke shot Officer Cram. Officer Cram was located by other officers and EMS personnel and was taken to the Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona where he was pronounced deceased.
Ricke was located and arrested near Sleepy Eye, Minn., at approximately 11:50 p.m. Wednesday night, according to a statement by the Brown County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office. The Brown County sheriff’s statement said that Ricke was taken into custody by deputies without incident with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and their Air Unit, and the Sleepy Eye Police Department.
Ricke remains in custody at Brown County Jail and has been charged with murder in the first degree in Kossuth County, Iowa. He will be extradited at a later date.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety reported that Officer Cram was a 10-year veteran of Iowa law enforcement, serving for the Nora Springs Police Department from 2013-2015 and the Algona Police Department from 2015-2023.
Officer Cram’s shooting death is the sixth officer death by gunfire in the region this year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website. The others include Officer Jake Wallin of the Fargo, N.D., Police Department, Deputy Sheriff Kaitie Leising of the St. Croix County, Wis., Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Sheriff Josh Owen of the Pope County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, Officer Emily Ann Breidenbach of the Chetek, Wis., Police Department, and Officer Hunter Timothy Scheel of the Cameron, Wis., Police Department.
The Fraternal Order of Police reports that as of Sept. 4, 272 officers have been shot in the line of duty in the United States this year, including what will be a total of 35 law enforcement officers shot and killed so far in 2023 once Officer Cram is added to the list.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
