FORT DODGE, Iowa — Webster County Crime Stoppers has announced they are offering a reward, up to $7,000—following two donations of $1,000—for any information to help in their investigation of a homicide case that killed two and hurt two others in Fort Dodege.
According to the Fort Dodge Police Department, a call came in at 4:45 a.m. Tuesday reporting an individual had been shot in the 900 block of 10th Avenue Southwest. When officers arrived, they found one unresponsive man laying in the roadway. He was pronounced dead on scene. Two women were also found with gunshot wounds. A 21-year-old female is in stable condition and 30-year-old woman was treated and released from the hospital Tuesday.
Police say a short time later a single-vehicle accident was discovered nearby in the intersection of South 15th Street and 6th Avenue South. The driver was suffering from a gunshot would and had lost consciousness while driving. He was pronounced dead on scene. Police believe he had been shot in the 900 block of 10th Avenue before attempting to leave the scene.
In total, four individuals were shot:
- 25-year-old Jamael Cox of Fort Dodge was found with a gunshot wound to the upper torso and died at the scene.
- 47-year-old Tyrone Cunningham was struck by gunfire in his "lower extremities", according to police. He fled in his vehicle the area but lost consciousness, crashing at the intersection of South 15th St and 6th Ave S.
- 21-year-old Marissa Andrews of Fort Dodge was nearby when she was struck by gunfire in the face and leg. She was transported to UnityPoint — Trinity Medical Center in stable condition before being transferred to a Des Moines hospital "for further treatment of her injuries."
- 30-year-old Jayne Bartrom of Wesley was nearby when she was struck in the lower leg by gunfire and was transported to UnityPoint — Trinity Medical Center where was was treated and released.
"He was a good person and he had a heart of gold," said Markasia, a woman who said she one of the victim's sisters. "Anybody that ever needed him he was there."
Police say the victims all appear to have been bystanders while others fired at each other.
"These victims were just simply caught in the crossfire," Cpt. Ryan Gruenberg told Local 5. "We suspect the shooters knew who they were after. We don't believe this was a random act where someone just showed up and started firing into a group of unknown people."
This is a developing story. Stay with Local 5 as we learn more.
You can contact the Fort Dodge Police Department at 515-573-1424 or fdpd@fortdodgeiowa.org.
Anyone with information can contact the Fort Dodge Police Department at (515)-573-1426 or Webster County Crime Stoppers at (515)-573-1444.
Tips can also be submitted online at the Webster County Crime Stoppers website or by texting "LEC" and the tip to (274637).