IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A shooting during a fight in a nightlife district near the University of Iowa campus wounded five people early Sunday, including three students, police and university officials said.
Multiple victims were transported to hospitals for gunshot wounds, according to Iowa City police.
One person was in critical condition while four others were stable, police said.
No arrests had been made as of Sunday morning, with authorities releasing images of groups identified as persons of interest.
Officers were responding to reports of a large fight in downtown Iowa City close to a pedestrian mall filled with bars and restaurants when they heard shots being fired, police explained.
Videos shared on social media depicted a chaotic scene with fights breaking out in front of an outdoor bar area, leading to dozens fleeing in panic.
University President Barbara Wilson confirmed that three students were among the wounded and emphasized the availability of support for the campus community.
“While we await additional information, I am thinking about these students and their families, friends, and all the people who care about them. I am holding them close in my thoughts, along with everyone in our community who is hurting or feeling shaken right now,” Wilson stated.
The university has approximately 31,000 students, making this incident particularly distressing for the local community.
“This senseless act of violence has devastated the university community and our state,” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds commented, extending state assistance in the investigation.
In response to the incident, the university issued alerts urging students to avoid the area. An alert noted that there were no indications any university students were the intended victims despite the ongoing investigation.
