Cedar Rapids’ first homicide of 2016 ‘not random,’ police say

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids police are investigating the first homicide of 2016.

The shooting was not random and the victims were targeted, authorities said Wednesday.

'It appears this was not a random incident,” said Greg Buelow, public safety spokesman. 'Based on the information (investigators have) gathered so far, they weren't just selected randomly.”

However, the motive behind the shooting is unclear at this time.

Cedar Rapids police responded to the parking lot of Cedar Valley Townhomes, 3000 J Street SW at 9:34 p.m. Tuesday after receiving reports of multiple gun shots. Responding officers found 25-year-old Joseph P. Perkins, Jr., of Chicago, dead at the scene, police said. Perkins' autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

A second man was also shot. That 21-year-old victim suffered a non-life-threatening wound to the leg and was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. Buelow said authorities are not naming the 21-year-old at this time out of concern for his personal safety.

Police said they do not have a suspect description nor do they know the exact number of shooters. However, investigators have learned that prior to the shooting, a vehicle pulled into the parking lot, a suspect got out and fired and then fled in the vehicle.

'The number of people in the vehicle (and) whether (the shooter) was a driver or a passenger is part of the investigation,” Buelow said.

Buelow said police are unable to provide a description of the suspect vehicle at this time. Police have also not disclosed how many shots were fired or what type of weapon was used in the homicide. No weapon has been recovered.

The investigation is ongoing at this time and police are speaking with people who might have knowledge of the crime.

'There were reports of several witnesses that may have heard the gun shots or seen something,” Buelow said.

Buelow said he doesn't know what Perkins was doing in Cedar Rapids or his connection to the other shooting victim. Police believe Perkins has relatives in both Chicago and Cedar Rapids. According to online court data, Perkins was arrested for minor offenses in Linn County in both 2013 and 2014.

Police were at the scene of the fatal shooting all night and the investigation is ongoing.

Cedar Rapids police responded to six homicides in 2015, down from eight the year before.