Victim in fatal northwest Cedar Rapids shooting identified

CEDAR RAPIDS - Newly unsealed court records assert that four men facing marijuana and gun charges were seen by a witness at the G Avenue NW home where a man was found shot last week.

On Thursday, Cedar Rapids police identified Bryan Ahmaad Edwards, 32, whose address was unknown, as a homicide victim, Police found him suffering from a gunshot wound the night of Sept. 10 at a home in the 1000 block of G Avenue NW. He was taken to a hospital, but died.

The department doesn't believe this was a random act, according to Greg Buelow, public safety spokesman. Police have not announced any suspects in the homicide.

Federal court records reviewed Thursday show that one witness at the scene identified four men, who this week have been charged with using marijuana while possessing firearms.

The witness said, according to the records, that a white sport utility vehicle carrying the four men came to the house 'where the victim was eventually found.”

The witness said that after a 'gunshot rang out,” the men returned to the SUV and left, according to an affidavit from Cedar Rapids Officer John O'Brien, who is an FBI task force member,

Investigators located a slide lock mechanism for a .22 caliber pistol next to a large pool of blood near the house, but a .22 wasn't found.

A short time later, officers found a white Chevrolet Tahoe nearby. Court records identify the driver as Derek Hughes-Doby and passengers as Keith Moore Jr., Treundes Howell and Cecil Howell,

The affidavit said there was a pistol under the driver's seat and another on the pavement near the SUV. O'Brien wrote that officers also found a bag of what appeared to be marijuana outside the SUV.

The men said they had been to a shooting range that night in Swisher, according to the records, although all four admitted they had previous drug convictions.

The men face charges of being unlawful users in possession of firearms.

Buelow said the homicide investigation remains open. The department was asking anybody with information about it to call (319) 286-5491 or Linn County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-CS-CRIME.