Scout Sitting in Police Car Shot to Death

BETTENDORF, Iowa — A man upset with the Police Department shot and killed a 17-year-old Explorer Scout taking part in a patrol, apparently thinking she was an officer, before going home and killing himself, authorities said Sunday.

Sheryl Horak was shot in the head as she sat alone in a patrol car parked outside police headquarters early Saturday. Her officer escort had gone into the building on an errand.

The man, Kenneth Griffith, 33, was found dead at his home in Riverdale, Bettendorf Police Chief Decker Ploehn said.

Griffith had telephoned the Bettendorf Police Department 2 1/2 hours before the shooting Saturday to report a theft by his girlfriend, but was referred to the county sheriff’s office because Riverdale is outside the Police Department’s jurisdiction, Ploehn said.

Griffith apparently became angry and walked to the Bettendorf police station, about two miles away, and saw Horak sitting alone in a squad car, Ploehn said.