Police: Cedar Rapids shooting victim didn’t know accused shooter

CEDAR RAPIDS — A man injured in a shooting in Cedar Rapids on Oct. 9 was painting his truck when he was shot in the back by a teenager he didn’t know, according to a criminal complaint.

Amari Nytez-Anthony McCray, 16, was arrested Thursday and charged with attempted murder, willful injury resulting in serious injury and going armed with intent. He is accused of shooting Yadier Primero-Marquez, 29, on the 2200 block of C Street SW.

The bullet entered Primero-Marquez’s back and exited through his chest. He survived the shooting but suffered serious injuries, the criminal complaint states. Primero-Marquez didn’t know McCray and no words were exchanged between them.

Police identified McCray from witness descriptions and developed a likely path of travel he took from the scene of the shooting. A search warrant was executed on McCray’s residence and police found a gun that matched a shell casing found at the scene.

McCray admitted to taking the same path of travel that police developed, but he denied shooting Primero-Marquez, the complaint states.

McCray is being held in the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center.

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