Arrest made in shooting near Cedar Rapids Wal-Mart — but not shooter

CEDAR RAPIDS — An arrest has been made in the Jan. 7 shooting near the Wal-Mart store in northeast Cedar Rapids.

However, it was not the shooter that was arrested.

Instead, Samalina A. Alicea, 24, of Cedar Rapids, has been charged with conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. A criminal complaint filed by the Linn County attorney's Office alleges that Alicea 'conspired with other persons to discharge a firearm within an assembly of people ... with the intent to provoke fear with those people.'

Cedar Rapids police responded to a report of shots fired at Wal-Mart, 2645 Blairs Ferry Road, at 8:13 p.m. Jan. 7. Responding officers found multiple shell casings at the scene, but there were no injuries or property damage reported. The store was open at the time.

While the criminal complaint does not identify the shooter, it does say that Alicea conspired with other people to commit intimidation with a dangerous weapon, which is a felony.

Public safety spokesman Greg Buelow confirmed Alicea's arrest is in connection with the Wal-Mart shooting. However, he said he could not comment further on the open case.

'There is an ongoing investigation,' Buelow said.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com