UNI Panther Athletics statement about Micalla Rettinger, fatally shot while driving on Highway 218

The University of Northern Iowa Athletics Department released a statement Monday, mourning the loss of former softball player Micalla Rettinger. Rettinger was driving on Highway 218 early Sunday morning when she was struck by a bullet that shattered the driver's side window. The bullet killed her and wounded a passenger, Adam Kimball, who was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics but is expected to survive. A second man in the vehicle was uninjured.

The shooting happened in a heavily wooded area as Rettinger's Jeep was crossing a bridge over Brinker Lake and the Cedar River. Waterloo police are seeking the public's help in their investigation and Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers has offered a $6,000 reward for information in the case.

Here is the complete statement from the University of Northern Iowa:

-

The University of Northern Iowa mourns the loss of former Panther softball player Micalla 'KK” Rettinger who was killed early Sunday morning in a shooting in Waterloo.

'Sunday morning, we lost a member of the Panther family. We are devastated to learn of the senseless death of Micalla Rettinger,” Director of Athletics David Harris said. 'This news is heartbreaking to our softball team, UNI Athletics and the entire campus. Our thoughts and prayers are with Micalla's family and friends.”

'I am devastated. KK was a pretty special kid to us,” head softball coach Ryan Jacobs said. 'I can still see the smile on her face and I remember the way she always thought of other people first in a genuine way. When we had youth camps, she was the one that all of the kids on campus would be drawn to. This is a huge loss to our team and everyone that knew her.”

Micalla was a 2016 graduate of UNI and an outstanding outfielder for the Panthers. She earned Second-Team Missouri Valley All-Conference honors her junior and senior seasons and led UNI in hits her senior year.

She graduated from UNI with a degree in Biology in 2016.

The Panther softball team will honor Micalla with a moment of silence before Tuesday's home season finale against Iowa scheduled for 5 p.m. in the UNI-Dome.