Police: Teens involved in Cedar Rapids shooting were meeting to buy marijuana

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Two teenagers who were charged this week with robbery and assault in relation to a shooting earlier this month were meeting with the victims of the shooting to buy marijuana, according to criminal complaints released Thursday.

Qwanell Beard, 17, and Artrell Beard, 16, were both arrested Aug. 18 — four days after the shooting Aug. 14 — for violation of court-ordered placement and terms of probation.

They were held in the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center on that charge until this week, when they were both charged as adults with first-degree robbery, intimidation with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, going armed with intent, assault while participating in a felony, use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime, persons ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon, and minor armed with a dangerous weapon. Artrell Beard also was charged with willful injury resulting in bodily injury.

According to a complaint, on Aug. 14, the teens had planned to meet with two other teenagers in the parking lot of the Union Apartment complex in the 4200 block of 21st Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids to buy marijuana. Artrell Beard and Qwanell Beard approached the car the other teens were sitting in, and police said both pointed guns at the teen in the driver’s seat, telling him to give them everything he had.

The teen in the driver’s seat started to drive away, and police said Qwanell shot his gun at the vehicle as it left, hitting the teen in the passenger seat in her thigh.

A juvenile girl was taken in a personal vehicle to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries related to the incident, according to a press release about the shooting from the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com