Perry police chief shot in leg after struggle with man

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — The police chief of the central Iowa city of Perry was shot in the leg Tuesday morning while trying to apprehend a man with a gun, police said.

Police Chief Eric Vaughn was shot in the upper leg after he and officers from several agencies responded to a call of shots fired and then found a man with a handgun. Officers negotiated with the man, identified as Jeremiah Messner, and convinced him to place the gun on the ground.

When officers tried to take Messner into custody, police said he regained possession of the gun. During a struggle with officers, police said Messner shot Vaughn.

Vaughn was flown to a Des Moines hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

Messner was taken to a hospital and then released to police. Agents with the state Division of Criminal Investigation charged him with several felonies, including attempted murder.

Vaughn is a 28-year law enforcement veteran who has worked as Perry’s police chief since 2013. Perry is a city of about 8,000, located 30 miles northwest of Des Moines.