Two newspaper carriers have gun pulled on them

Two Gazette newspaper carriers were not injured when a man pulled a gun on them during their route Thursday, police said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said Billy Lingo II, 36, of Cedar Rapids, was delivering a newspaper around 4:45 a.m. at 2010 Glass Road NE when a man got out of a green van and approached him.

“He said, ‘What's up? What the (expletive) you want to do?” said Lingo's wife, Lisa, who was waiting in the couple's van.

When Billy explained that he was just delivering the paper, the man pulled out a handgun and repeated his questions, Lisa Lingo said. A few minutes later, the suspect ran into the Cedarwood Hills apartment complex.

“It just felt like he wanted to start a gang fight,” Lisa Lingo said.

The Lingos, who have delivered The Gazette for about five months, were back on the job Friday morning. When they got to Cedarwood Hills, they delivered all of the papers for residents to the office.

“We're not gonna get shot over no paper,” Lisa Lingo said.

Police said the suspect is a black male in his mid-20s, between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-9, around 140 to 160 pounds with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a dark green hooded sweat shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (319) 286-5491 or 1-800-CR-CRIME.