Spencer, Iowa — A Spirit Lake man is dead after taking his own life as the result of a police pursuit involving a weapon in Clay County.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office tells us that on Tuesday afternoon, November 19th, in the 4:00 hour, a Clay County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle in Spencer. They found out that the vehicle, a 1998 Red Chevrolet pickup truck, had been driven by 30-year-old Andrew Phillips of Spirit Lake.
The vehicle failed to stop for law enforcement and continued through the city limits of Spencer. Officers say that during the pursuit, Phillips displayed a firearm and discharged it one time outside of the vehicle window. The pursuit continued in Spencer and went through the new construction zone of the Spencer Municipal Hospital, causing significant damage to the property.
Authorities say Phillips continued to drive until he reached the parking lot of the First Christian Church, at which time they say Phillips took his own life while still inside the vehicle.
The Spencer Middle School and First Christian Church had been placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office tells us that the Spencer Police Department, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa State Patrol, the Spencer Fire Department, the Spencer Ambulance Service, and the Clay County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted with the response to the incident.
(Photo courtesy fellow Community First Broadcasting station KUOO in Spirit Lake)
