Three suspects sought in fatal Cedar Rapids shooting

UPDATE: Police have opened a homicide investigation after a 26-year-old man died after a shooting at a Cedar Rapids apartment building Monday night.

Police responded around 9:23 p.m. to the brick building at 113 First Ave. SW for a report of gunshots. A male victim was taken by ambulance to St. Luke's Hospital and later transferred to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, police said.

The man, identified as Kevin Bell of Cedar Rapids, has died, police Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said. He was found in Apartment K and died from at least one gunshot, Hamblin said.

Three suspects who appeared to be in their late teens are being sought, but no arrests had been made as of Tuesday morning, Hamblin said.

Six other people were in the apartment where Bell was shot, Hamblin said.

Witnesses told police the three suspects forced their way into an apartment before Bell was shot. Mike Smothers, who lives in the apartment, told The Gazette he witnessed the shooting. In a brief interview before he hung up, Smothers said the intruders must have been breaking into the wrong place.

“Either they were after me or somebody else, and I would know if they were after me,” Smothers said.

Sheri Thompson, who lives above the apartment where the shooting happened, said she heard two gunshots. She said she saw someone being taken away on a stretcher.

"I could see blood coming from both sides of his head," she said.

Rachal Frazier, who lives next door to Apartment K, said she was in another room with her 2-year-old daughter and did not hear any gunshots, but she heard the commotion afterward.

She said about five people were yelling and arguing in the alley behind the apartment building when she looked outside.

Both Thompson and Frazier said there was lots of traffic in and out of Apartment K. Noise and yelling were common, the women said.

"People will come in there and they'll leave real fast," Frazier said.

The three suspects are described as follows:

• A light-skinned black male, around 18 years old, 5-foot-8 to 6 feet with short hair and a slender build. He was wearing a dark coat with a hooded sweat shirt.
• A dark-skinned black male, around 18 years old, about 5-foot-5 who is heavyset with rounded cheeks.
• A light-skinned black male, around 18 or 19 years old.

Allison Bell, who is not related to the victim, manages the apartment complex.  She told KCRG-TV9 that Kevin Bell did not live at the complex. However, neighbors say they've seen him living there for several months, and even saw him sweeping the steps to help tidy up the area.  Neighbors also say they saw a lot of foot traffic to Kevin Bell's apartment, and most of the visitors didn't stay long.

Police are still looking for a motive and a connection between the victim and the people of interest.

Anyone with information about the shooting or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CR-CRIME. Rewards are eligible if the information submitted leads to an arrest. All calls are anonymous.

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