ALGONA, Iowa — The streets of Algona, Iowa were quieter than usual on Thursday afternoon outside the city's police department.
Residents laid flowers and notes on a department car, and paid their respects to Ofc. Kevin Cram, who was shot and killed in the line of duty Wednesday night while attempting to serve an arrest warrant.
"He wasn't a bad guy. He didn't deserve this, and neither did his family," said resident Chris Draper, who told Local 5 that he had multiple run-ins with officer Cram for speeding.
On Wednesday night, members of the community received the news that there had been a shooting in their city through a text message.
"This town's pretty tight-knit, so when something happens, you know about it fairly quickly," resident Rebecca West told Local 5.
West said she stayed up past midnight on Wednesday, even with a middle-school daughter, to make sure their family was safe.
Shootings aren't frequent in the city of a little more than 5,000 people.
"I've lived here 30-some years, and never heard anything of an officer getting shot, even getting shot at around here," Draper said.
However, when anyone dies in any community— not just Algona — some begin to realize that this can happen to anyone at any time.
"I think when you're just in a small town, it makes you worry," West explained.
"It makes you wonder how, what people really are like around here," Draper said.
But as they did on Thursday, the tight-knit people of Algona know how to come together.
"I think everybody gon' have to come together," said resident Joshua Edwards. "No matter what your race is, you know, your background, they're gonna have to come together as one."
Cram's remains were escorted from Ankeny up to Algona on Sept. 15. His funeral will be held Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m. in the Ed and Betty Wilxox Performing Arts Center at the Algona Community School. For more information, click here.