IC police respond to shots fired in Pedestrian Mall
The police responded after receiving a report of an armed subject in the mall around 4 p.m. Saturday.
A police car sits near the entrance of Brothers Bar & Grill after reports of shots fired near the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. No one was injured and officers were able to detain the shooter.
January 14, 2023
Iowa City police detained a person after multiple shots were fired in the Pedestrian Mall Saturday afternoon.
According to a press release from Iowa City, police responded to a report of an armed subject located at the intersection of East College Street and South Clinton Street near the opening of the Pedestrian Mall at 3:56 p.m.
Witnesses of the shooting reported multiple shots were fired, according to the release.
“Thanks to timely witness information provided to dispatchers, officers were able to detain the shooter. Evidence of shots fired was also recovered at the scene. No one is believed to have been injured in this incident,” the release states.
Corrine Fonteyne, assistant general manager of The Stuffed Olive tapas restaurant, said she was looking out at the Pedestrian Mall from inside the establishment when the shots were fired.
The suspect began shooting near the Brothers Bar & Grill patio, she said.
“I saw the guy walking, I didn’t really think anything of it, and then I saw him pull something out,” Fonteyne said. “I didn’t really think anything until I started hearing gunshots and so I yelled for everybody to get down.”
Fonteyne said she ushered customers and workers into the back of the restaurant where they waited until it was safe.
“My adrenaline instantly spiked, and I just immediately, when I realized what was happening, I just had everybody get down. It’s like, get down to the ground,” she said. “ And then my second instinct was to get everybody to somewhere safe.”
The incident is still under investigation, and police are asking anyone with information to contact the department. Additionally, police ask anyone with security cameras in the area to review the footage and contact the department with any footage or information about the shooting.
Ayrton Breckenridge contributed to this report.