Manhunt underway for suspect accused of shooting police officer

A manhunt is underway in Iowa for a suspect accused of fleeing a traffic stop and then opening fire on law enforcement, striking a police officer, authorities said.

Mark Lee Jackson, 59, of Des Moines, is wanted for attempted murder, police in Muscatine said. He has been at large since Friday evening and should be considered armed and dangerous, police said.

Police said Jackson was driving recklessly and evaded a Muscatine County Sheriff's Office deputy who attempted to stop his vehicle Friday evening in Muscatine. He allegedly continued driving erratically at a high rate of speed before crashing and then fleeing on foot, according to police.

Law enforcement located him several blocks from the initial attempted traffic stop a short time later, according to police. During a foot pursuit, he allegedly fired at officers trying to take him into custody, striking a Muscatine Police Department officer in the elbow area, authorities said.

"We are extremely blessed that no children or civilians were injured, as Jackson did fire toward an area where bystanders and children were present," Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies said at a press briefing Sunday night.

The officer is at home and is expected to make a full recovery, according to the police chief.

Jackson is wanted on several warrants, including attempted murder of a Muscatine police officer and a Muscatine County deputy sheriff, Kies said. He also has active warrants through Iowa State Corrections for a parole violation and through the Muscatine Police Department for theft, authorities said.  

"Make no mistake: We will not stop until Mark Lee Jackson is located," Kies said. "Every law enforcement agency in this nation is going to look for him."

Authorities have established a perimeter around an area where Jackson fled following the shooting and have deployed an Iowa search and rescue K-9 team to that location, Kies said. 

"There's always the potential that he is hiding in that location," Kies said. "Right now, we have used cadaver dogs and tracking dogs in that location that have given us a few other leads that I'm not willing to disclose at this time."

Drone and aviation units have also been utilized in the manhunt, he said.

Police described Jackson as being approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall and 145 pounds, with blue eyes and thinning gray hair. 

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call the Muscatine Police Department at 563-263-9922.