Deadly weekend in Cedar Rapids as second man dies in shooting; 16-year-old faces murder charge

CEDAR RAPIDS — Gun violence has claimed another life in Cedar Rapids, and a 16-year-old faces a murder charge.

The latest victim is 21-year-old Brandon Johnson. Police said Johnson died Saturday night after a shooting in the 1100 block of Maplewood Drive NE. A second subject, a 16-year-old boy, was injured in the shooting, but is expected to survive.

Sunday evening, police announced they had arrested Kenyauta Keith, 16, of Cedar Rapids, in connection with the homicide. Keith now faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Fatal shooting Saturday

Police Chief Wayne Jerman said the events that led to Johnson's killing Saturday began more than two years ago with a brawl in the Lindale Mall food court. That melee on Feb. 13, 2014 turned into an ongoing rivalry involving two families and their associates.

On Saturday night, a dozen or more of those combatants met in another clash that turned deadly in the middle of Maplewood Drive.

'It involved boys, girls, males and females, juveniles, young adults and disturbingly, parents of some of the combatants,' Jerman said Sunday. 'One of the combatants felt compelled to retrieve a firearm from a vehicle and fired multiple rounds, striking two individuals, killing one and critically wounding another 16-year-old.'

Johnson, one of the people arrested in connection with the Lindale Mall fight, was pronounced dead at the scene when officers responded to a report of shots fired around 9:42 p.m. Saturday. The teenager was taken to a hospital to receive treatment for his injuries.

Keith was previously described as a person of interest in the shooting. Police said Keith was arrested at the police department around 6 p.m. Sunday.

With Keith's arrest, Cedar Rapids police have now charged two juveniles with first-degree murder in the last six months. Robert Humbles was only 14 years old when he was charged in the shooting death of 15-year-old Aaron Richardson on Sept. 6. Humbles ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, reckless use of a firearm resulting in serious injury and going armed with intent.

Humbles faces 25 years in prison but, according to the plea agreement, he is being prosecuted as a youthful offender, which means he will be placed in a youth residential treatment center or more restrictive facility, such as the Eldora State Training School for Boys, until he turns 18.

Jerman said police could not rule out or confirm that some of the city's ongoing gun violence over the last two years could be contributed to the rival families. There have been approximately 200 incidents of gun violence in the city in the last two years.

'There may be some of the shots fired incidents that may be related to this family situation, but ... We can't confirm it,' Jerman said.

Police are still investigating what precipitated Saturday night's brawl and if social media played a role.

Jerman said the involvement of parents in the deadly fight is troubling.

'What does that say when you have a parent displaying this type of behavior? It's unacceptable, it's unlawful and it's anti-social,' he said. 'A parent engaging in this sort of activity? I cannot find it acceptable. I won't tolerate it and I assume the majority of Cedar Rapidians are appalled and won't tolerate it, either. Our youths deserve positive role models to help them not make bad decisions.'

Johnson's death marks the second gun-related fatality in Cedar Rapids this weekend. Senquez Jackson, 15, was pronounced dead Saturday evening, less than 24 hours after police responded to 1424 Bever Ave. SE for a shooting.

Police Chief Wayne Jerman said Jackson's death does not appear to be the result of an 'intentional assault' and said investigators have spoken with the alleged shooter. The circumstances of Jackson's shooting and death remain under investigation.

In another shooting this year, Joseph P. Perkins, 24, was found dead at Cedar Valley Townhomes Feb. 23 after police responded for reports of multiple gunshots. Another man also was shot, but his wounds were not life-threatening. No arrests have been made in that case.