This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Three University of Iowa students were injured in a shooting in the early morning on April 19, on the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on the 100 Block of East College Street.
According to an Iowa City Police Department press release at 1:46 a.m., police responded to a large fight. Once police arrived, officers heard gunfire.
Police reports said they have identified five victims in the shooting, with one victim in critical condition and the other four stable.
No arrest has been made. ICPD has asked for help identifying five persons of interest. Anyone with information on the people in the photo below is asked to contact Detective Cade Burma at [email protected] or 319-356-5275.
According to a Hawk Alert sent out to students and staff of the university at 12:00 p.m., the Pedestrian Mall has since reopened and there is “no ongoing threat to the public at this time.”
Persons of interest provided by the City of Iowa City.
Videos were posted online showing the altercation previous to the shooting, in which multiple individuals were fighting, with a large crowd of people gathered around them.
Another video shared across social media platforms showed at least fifty people fleeing the scene following the shooting.
University of Iowa Health Care received those injured in the shooting. UIHC strategic communications director Laura Shoemaker said in an email to The Daily Iowan that the hospital is working to evaluate the severity of injuries and ensure the patients receive the care they require.
Shoemaker wrote that the hospital is unable to comment on the specific conditions of the patients at this time.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a statement early Sunday assuring local law enforcement, as well as state resources, are working to find a suspect.
“Kevin’s and my prayers this morning are with the victims of the shooting in Iowa City and their families,” Reynolds said. “This senseless act of violence has devastated the university community and our state. I have spoken with University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson and Board of Regents Chair Robert Cramer and assured them that the full resources of the state are available to assist with the investigation. The Department of Public Safety has contacted the Iowa City Police Department to offer their support.”
UI President Barbara Wilson also issued a statement online, saying the University of Iowa Police Department is working closely with ICPD to investigate the shooting. Wilson encouraged students and community members to support one another during “a difficult moment for our community.”
“Moments like this can feel overwhelming,” Wilson said in the statement. “They can make a large campus feel suddenly very small. Many of you may be worried, upset, or unsure how to process what has happened. Please know that you are not alone in that.”
An Iowa City police officer looks at a stationed camera at a crime scene in the Pedestrian Mall Iowa City, Iowa on Sunday, April 19, 2026. Three students from the University of Iowa were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning.(Samantha DeFily/The Daily Iowan)
