116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Cameron Leonard testifies he shot DoorDash driver in self-defense in 2023 Cedar Rapids shootout
He said he didn’t mislead police; rather, it was how he recalled the events
Mar. 4, 2025 6:51 pm, Updated: Mar. 5, 2025 5:35 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CEDAR RAPIDS — Cameron Leonard, claiming self-defense in the fatal shooting of a DoorDash delivery driver in 2023, testified Tuesday he wasn’t worried that his memory of the shooting didn’t match up to what is shown on a surveillance video.
Leonard, 26, of Cedar Rapids, admitted his answers were inconsistent in two police interviews, but he answered to the “best of his ability.”
“I did everything I could have,” he told jurors as he took the stand in his murder trial.
In the first police interview, Leonard testified, he was under medication that caused “hallucinations” after undergoing surgery for his gunshot injuries in the altercation with the driver. He said he saw things more clearly in the second interview, recalling more details.
Leonard is charged with first-degree murder, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime, and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon.
The state rested Tuesday and so did the defense after calling an expert witness and Leonard to testify in his own defense. Closing arguments are expected Wednesday in Linn County District Court.
During his opening statement last week, a prosecutor said Myron Snyder, 21, of Cedar Rapids, the delivery driver, was “ambushed and surrounded” by Leonard and his brother, Maurice Brown, on Oct. 5, 2023, outside a northeast Cedar Rapids apartment. Snyder then fatally shot Brown in self-defense, he said — before he was killed by Leonard.
Leonard testified Brown didn’t ask him to go with him to pick up his delivery food order at Brown’s apartment that night. They were having game night at his mother’s apartment, across the parking lot from Brown’s apartment at 3690 Sherman St. NE.
Leonard decided to follow him at the last minute because “it didn’t feel right.” Brown thought he recognized the delivery driver’s name as someone he had issues with in high school. Leonard said he had his gun along with an extra magazine of ammunition.
His lawyer, Chris Kragnes, showed jurors Leonard’s permit to carry the gun. Leonard said he was a responsible gun owner and took the carry rules seriously.
When Leonard was near the apartment building, he saw Snyder coming out after dropping off the food. He and Brown started arguing, but Leonard stayed back. Brown and Snyder started fighting. While both were on the ground, Snyder pulled out a firearm and “pistol whipped” Brown, Leonard testified.
Leonard said he didn’t know how to “break it up” because Snyder had a gun. He yelled at them to stop because he sensed “it could escalate.”
He didn’t recall going to the driver’s side after Snyder got in his car, as the video showed. He also didn’t remember giving the door a “donkey kick” with his foot.
He admitted to wearing his sister’s Crocs. Evidence showed a Croc imprint was left on the driver’s side door — but Leonard said he didn’t remember it.
Leonard said he saw “flashes” from a gun and saw his brother fall down. When he looked at Synder, Snyder was pointing a gun at him.
Leonard said Synder aimed and fired at him and he froze. He thought about running and shooting, but then decided to do both. He went behind Snyder’s car and exchanged gunfire. He said he didn’t realize he had been shot until he was on the passenger side of the car. His arm was “burning” and he reloaded.
He went over to his brother and collapsed.
Kragnes asked Leonard to show some of his gunshot wounds to the jury. He was shot in upper thigh, twice in the left arm, twice in right arm and twice on his left side, he said.
Leonard said he didn’t know what he could have done differently. He “wished” Brown and Snyder wouldn’t have fought and that he wouldn’t have followed his brother.
Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks, on cross examination, asked Leonard about an issue the murder defendant had with Snyder — dating his sister. Leonard said the two exchanged “words” during a phone call. Leonard and Brown didn’t want Snyder dating their sister.
Maybanks asked if Leonard, in the first police interview, told investigators that Snyder started shooting as soon as he saw Brown — but “that’s not true?” Maybanks asked. Leonard agreed.
Leonard also admitted Snyder never tried to run him over, but that’s the “way I perceived it.”
Maybanks asked if Snyder was in his car when Leonard started firing from the back. One bullet struck Snyder in the back, which could have been fatal, according to medical examiner. Leonard agreed.
Maybanks then asked if some of Leonard’s gunshots were through and through — meaning one bullet with an entrance and exit wound.
“Isn’t the gunshot wound to your leg a through and through?” Maybanks asked. “Did you shoot yourself in the leg?”
Leonard denied it.
Maybanks said Leonard had issues recalling key moments during the gunfight, such as Brown shooting at Snyder and that Leonard pointed his gun at Snyder. But he did recall Snyder shooting at him.
Leonard said he didn’t remember those things, except Snyder shooting at him. “Hard to forget that,” he said.
On redirect examination, Leonard said he wasn’t telling the jurors not to believe the surveillance video, but that his testimony was from his best recollection of the incident.
An expert in use-of-deadly-force encounters also testified for the defense to cast doubt on the surveillance video police used to recreate the crime scene.
John Corriea, the founder and chief executive officer of Active Self Protection, based in Arizona, analyzes use of deadly force incidents around the country and posts them on YouTube to educate people, provide tactics and lessons learned and prompt discussion.
He is also a deadly force instructor and has been admitted as a court expert in Michigan and Arizona. He is also approved as an instructor to teach law enforcement in Arizona.
He reviewed the raw surveillance video and enhanced versions, including versions used to recreate the crime scene. Corriea testified the surveillance video when enhanced — zoomed in — affected the detail, and the frame speed could affect what gunshots are shown. There could be gunshots between frames that are missing. He said it’s difficult to say how many shots were fired.
On cross examination, Corriea said he is usually paid $550 an hour to testify in court, which includes prep and consultation work, and about $5,000 a day for travel expenses.
His case analysis YouTube Channel has over 3 million subscribers and he is paid for ad impressions on a monthly basis. Corriea said it pays enough to employ 10 people.
On this case, his rate was $12,500, which was approved by the judge.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters