CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The case of a teenager accused of shooting and killing another teen is now in the hands of a jury. Keyun McGowan, now 18, is facing a charge of first-degree murder for the death of 17-year-old Cristian Upah in Cedar Rapids last May. McGowan is also charged with two counts of robbery. The prosecution has said McGowan planned to rob Upah and his girlfriend but killed Upah when he started fighting back. Both the state and defense rested Friday afternoon after two more witnesses took the stand Friday morning. In closing statements, the prosecution referenced the testimony of McGowan’s friend, who said McGowan admitted to the murder. The state spoke for nearly an hour, saying it was clear all the evidence pointed to McGowan. “Defendant pulled the gun, threatened them both, and ended up killing Christian Upah. And as she told you, the defendant dropped…his phone. She picked it up, threw it. And as you’ve seen, in state’s exhibit 78, a broken phone that was collected that was downloaded, was identified to belong to the defendant,” said Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier. McGowan’s attorney questioned the testimony of McGowan’s friend and that of Upah’s girlfriend and said there were gaps in the evidence. “OK, there’s no direct evidence, right? No blood, no DNA, no fingerprints, no hair, no video. All the state has is Mia’s version. As we’ve discussed at length, Mia’s version makes zero sense,” said Defense Attorney Patrick McMullen. Jury deliberations will begin on Monday at 9 a.m.
CEDAR COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – On Thursday, Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington publicly called on state senators to pass HF2586 (known as the ‘Students First Safety Act’). The bill aims to reduce response time in the event of an emergency by making it easier for school staff to be armed. The schools would have to want to allow staff to be armed. Those willing to carry a firearm would go through a one-time in-person training that would cover communication and medical training. “It is impossible for Iowa’s peace officers to be everywhere at all times and our state’s students and staff must be better protected,” Wethington said. “I fully support the Students First Safety Act and I call on lawmakers in the Senate to pass it now. Our children can’t afford to wait any longer.” This bill also gives armed educators qualified immunity, which means they can’t be held criminally or civilly responsible, which makes insurance easier to get. According to the Cedar County Sheriff, two school districts in northwest Iowa had worked to implement armed staff in 2023 but then canceled plans once the districts were told that their insurance policies would not be renewed if their plans went into effect.
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI/KCRG) – A shooting in Des Moines has left two people hospitalized and in serious condition. The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. early Sunday morning in the 600th Block of East 5th Street in Des Moines. The Des Moines Fire Department and the Des Moines Police all went to the scene after receiving a report of a person suffering from a gunshot wound. Police suspect that the shooting happened during a dispute during a party. Officials also learned that a second person had also been shot and had traveled to the hospital on their own. According to the Des Moines Police, the two people who were injured are a 27-year-old male and a 38-year-old female. No one has been arrested yet and officials are investigating the incident. Police also say that there is currently no danger to the public in relation to the shooting.
FORT DODGE, Iowa (KCCI/KCRG) – The four police officers who were involved in a fatal shooting in Fort Dodge have been identified. Last Saturday, March 16, police shot and killed 24-year-old Tyler Stansberry from Fort Dodge when he charged the officers while wielding two knives. Police originally went to the scene after receiving a report of an out-of-control person and an injured dog. Officer Nicholas Ruggles, Sergeant Matthew Webb, Officer Andrew Lane, and Officer Matthew English are the officers who were involved in the shooting. All four of the men listed are on critical incident leave while the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations investigates the fatal shooting.
