Cedar Rapids man shot twice in chest in stable condition

The third person shot in five days in Cedar Rapids was in stable condition at a hospital Monday morning.

Police said Lucius Taylor, Jr., 30, underwent emergency surgery after he was shot twice in the chest around 9 p.m. Saturday, police said. Investigators determined Taylor was shot in the 1300 block alley between Third and Fourth avenues SE, and was discovered inside a nearby apartment building.

Taylor remained at St. Luke's Hospital on Monday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said Taylor told police he was in the alley when a man walked up to him and began shooting. He said he had been staying at the Willis Dady Emergency Shelter and claimed he did not know the assailant.

The suspect is described as a slender black male, between 6 feet and 6-foot-3. He was last seen wearing dark clothing and  blue hat that was pulled down at the time. Police said the shooter may have gotten into a vehicle to flee the scene.

The latest shooting comes after two teenagers were shot in their legs in separate incidents Tuesday and Thursday. Jose Cruz, 18, of Chicago, was shot in the left leg around 7 p.m. Tuesday in the area of 4050 21st Ave. SW, police said. About 30 hours later, Mike Martinez, 17, of Cedar Rapids, was shot in the right thigh near 1515 Second Ave. SE.

No arrests have been made for any of the shootings. Thursday's and Saturday's shootings happened about three blocks apart. Police are unsure if they are connected.

"They're certainly looking into that," Hamblin said. "Right now we don't know."

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Linn County CrimeStoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME. Rewards are possible if the information leads to an arrest.

[mqMap key="AoQn" width="485" height="440" src="http://www.mapquest.com/embed?icid=mqdist_mb_wp&c=AoQn&maptype=map&zoom=13¢er=41.97837262259824,-91.68362829360981&projection=sm&showScale=false"/>