Man accused in birthday party shooting was in Illinois prison

CEDAR RAPIDS — The 30-year-old man arrested last week, accused of shooting into a crowd at a birthday party at a Cedar Rapids hotel in 2021, was served the warrant while he was in an Illinois prison.

Quonie Shelton was in the Danville Correctional Center serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in 2022 for felon in possession of a firearm, Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said.

Maybanks said the Oct. 1, 2021, shooting at the Ramada by Wyndham, 535 33rd Ave. SW, was a “frightening” experience for the individuals who were there and the community in general. A 13-year-old boy was one of the people injured in the shooting, reported at 10:30 p.m.

Maybanks said he had been in “ongoing consultation” with Cedar Rapids police about pursuing the investigation.

Cedar Rapids police Chief Wayne Jerman said at the time that people at the party who witnessed the shooting were not cooperating with police and that some even had disconnected their phones to avoid talking to police.

A few days later he reported officers had talked to the 13-year-old boy who was hospitalized and some of the others who were injured.

Maybanks said a warrant was issued and charges were filed against Shelton in March this year. Linn County sheriff’s deputies transported Shelton from the Danville prison, in eastern Illinois, to Cedar Rapids on May 9.

Shelton remains in the Linn County Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bail.

Maybanks wouldn’t comment on details of the investigation. He said only that Shelton was one of the many partygoers that night.

Shelton is charged with two counts of willful injury causing serious injury; three counts of willful injury causing bodily injury; two counts of reckless use of a firearm causing serious injury; three counts of reckless use of a firearm causing bodily injury; and one count each of going armed with intent, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime.

If Shelton is convicted on the five class C felonies, he faces up to 50 years in prison. He also may have to serve the remainder of his Illinois prison term, Maybanks said.

Shelton is accused of shooting into the crowd during the birthday party that was underway in a hotel conference room.

Five people were injured by gunshots — Burrell Jackson, Kala Richardson, Calvin Cameron, Andre Banks and an unidentified juvenile, according to the criminal complaints. Cameron and Banks suffered injuries that led to a “prolonged, debilitating impairment to an extremity,” the complaints stated.

Initial reports indicated six people had been injured.

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