Recent Cedar Rapids shooting victim arrested on drug charges

Police have arrested a man who was shot in Cedar Rapids after he admitted to investigators that he had cocaine in his sport-utility vehicle.

Mario D. Gibson, 30, of 3720 Richmond Rd. NE, suffered non-life threatening injuries when he was shot in the back on Aug. 9 in the 1400 block of Seventh Avenue SE. Six days later, he was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to a search warrant application, officers who responded to the shooting could smell the odor of burnt marijuana coming from an SUV, which was riddled with bullet holes. They later learned Gibson had driven the SUV to that location. Neighbors in the area told SourceMedia Group they heard about a dozen gunshots.

Gibson told police he parked the SUV and went up to his friend's house at 1415 Seventh Ave. SE, but no one answered the door. As he was walking back, Gibson said he heard what sounded like firecrackers behind him and turned around to see someone shooting at him, according to court documents. He told investigators the shooter was to the left of the house that he had approached.

Police said Gibson tried to take cover in the SUV before eventually running away toward 15th Street SE. During an interview at Mercy Medical Center, Gibson told police he did not know who shot him and did not have descriptive details.

Confronted with the information about the marijuana smell, Gibson admitted he had smoked marijuana in the SUV, and said there was a small bag of cocaine in the console, according to court documents. Gibson was arrested when he came to retrieve the SUV, which had been impounded as evidence, and signed a promise to appear in court.

Police have not made any arrests in the shooting. Investigators have not commented publicly about any possible motives in the case.