FOREST PARK, Ga. – Federal agents captured a teenager wanted for a mass shooting in Iowa at a hotel in Forest Park on Monday morning.
What we know:
U.S. Marshals arrested 17-year-old Damarian M. Jones of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at the Southern Suites on Courtney Drive around 9:30 a.m. Monday. Jones was wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred on April 19 at the Downtown Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Jones faces numerous charges including five counts of attempted murder, three counts of willful injury, and assault causing bodily injury. He is currently at the Clayton County Jail awaiting extradition.
The backstory:
Iowa City police said Jones was involved in a fight involving as many as 40 people on East College Street around 1:45 a.m. on April 19. Investigators said Jones allegedly got a gun from someone, walked away, and then fired six times into a crowded area.
The gunfire hit five people, including three University of Iowa students. One woman suffered a life-threatening head injury, while other victims were shot in the stomach, arm, and chest. One victim is still recovering in the hospital, according to police reports.
What’s next:
Under state law, Jones is expected to be charged as an adult, according to the Associated Press. Acting U.S. Marshal Steve Serrao said federal resources were dedicated to finding the “violent fugitive” once they learned he might be in northern Georgia.
What we don’t know:
While police described a large fight preceding the gunfire, they have not yet said what started the initial altercation involving 40 people. It is also unclear who provided Jones with the firearm or how he traveled from Iowa to Georgia.
What they’re saying:
University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson said she is holding the students and their families close in her thoughts. “Moments like this can feel overwhelming,” Wilson said in a statement. “Many of you may be worried, upset, or unsure how to process what has happened.”
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the U.S. Marshals Service and the Iowa City Police Department, which detailed the arrest and the April 19 shooting. Additional information comes from a statement published by the University of Iowa. (linked above)