Three arrested in Bever Avenue shooting; shooter still at large

UPDATE:  Three people were arrested in connection with a disturbance that preceded one gunshot late Wednesday, but police said the shooter was still at large Thursday.

One shot was fired from a 12-gauge shotgun around 7:30 p.m. near the corner of Bever Avenue and 16th Street SE, police said. No one was struck.

Police said four men began arguing in Redmond Park, and the disturbance eventually spilled into the residential area. Multiple 911 calls reported the gunshot. Capt. Steve O'Konek said investigators found one spent round in the area.

Officers went back to the area around 9:30 p.m. when another disturbance was reported. They arrested Nevin M. Baker, 25, of Cedar Rapids; Benjamin Harper, 22, of Birmingham, Ala. and Ray A. Robertson, of Iowa City. All three are charged with interference with official acts after they ran from officers.

“We think (Baker)assisted in driving some of the people to that location,” O'Konek said.

O'Konek said significant progress had been made following leads to find the shooter, but details were still being sorted out.

“There's still a lot of conflicting information right now,” O'Konek said.

Dawn Keanes, who lives near the intersection where the shot was fired, said she saw the shooter. She said the man walked out from behind an alley just south of Bever Avenue, fired a shotgun and ran away.

Other witnesses said they saw a gray Dodge car after the shot. They believed that some of the people involved in the fight were riding in the car.

Keanes stood close to her son as she looked out at the police scene.

“Everybody was screaming,” she said.