Iowa City police charged 17-year-old Damarian Jones with multiple counts including attempted murder after a shooting near the University of Iowa that wounded five people early Sunday morning. The incident occurred at the Pedestrian Mall around 1:45 a.m., where Jones allegedly fired six rounds from a handgun following a physical fight. Jones remains at large as authorities continue their investigation.
Iowa City police announced charges against Damarian Jones, of Cedar Rapids, on Wednesday. The 17-year-old faces five counts of attempted murder, three counts of willful injury assault causing serious injury, two counts of willful injury assault causing bodily injury, and one count of going armed with intent. Police said Jones engaged in a physical altercation with numerous opposing individuals at the crowded Pedestrian Mall near the University of Iowa campus, obtained a firearm, and fired six rounds toward the group during a break in the fighting. The victims were in the direct line of fire but were not intended targets and had no affiliation with the incident, according to an arrest affidavit based on video footage and crime scene evidence. Police recovered three firearms, accessories, and ammunition during the investigation and expect additional charges and arrests. Of the five injured, two remained hospitalized on Wednesday. One suffered a life-threatening head injury, another required surgery for wounds to the arm and chest, a third needed multiple surgeries for a leg wound, the fourth was shot in the side of the stomach, and the fifth was struck in both legs. Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said in a statement: > Their lives have been forever changed by this senseless act of violence. We pray for their full recovery and stand ready to support them in any way possible during this difficult time.
