Police officials in Iowa say a shooting took place outside of a church in Ames, about 40 miles away from Des Moines. They received multiple 911 calls at 6:51 p.m. on Thursday. Two people and the male shooter are dead. Officials said they believe the shooting took place in the parking lot of the church.

Sister station KCCI spoke with Capt. Nick Lennie with the Story County Sheriff's Office earlier regarding the shooting.

"There was a program going on. We do have other individuals inside the church. We do not have any other information at this point if anybody else was injured in this. We are working through the process of investigating this incident and speaking with the others inside the church," Lennie said.

There are currently no reports of others being injured and the motive is unclear.

The sheriff's office said there is not an ongoing threat to the public.

Church Pastor Mike Vance released the following statement:

"Tonight, a tragic shooting occurred involving two young members of our Cornerstone Church community. Due to the ongoing investigation, we are not able to give any details at this time. We can say, however, that we are more than saddened by the events that transpired. Our hearts break for all involved, and we are praying for everyone affected. Our Ministry staff are available to support all those impacted, and we will continue to fully cooperate with authorities as they complete their full investigation.

"We sincerely appreciate the responsiveness of the Story County Sheriff's Department, Ames PD, and all Law Enforcements Officials who have handled this matter with exceptional professionalism and compassion. Please join us in praying for all affected and their families.

"For anyone interested, we will be holding a prayer service tomorrow, June 3, 2022, at 10 AM, at Cornerstone Church of Ames, 56829 US HWY 30, Ames, IA, 50010. All are welcome to attend in-person or join us online at cornerstonelife.com/live."

Gov. Kim Reynolds released the following statement via Facebook:

“Tonight’s act of senseless violence took the lives of two innocent victims at their place of worship. Kevin and I grieve for their families who have suffered an unfathomable loss. And while the investigation continues and we learn more, we ask that Iowans pray for the victims and their families, the members of Cornerstone Church, and the entire Ames community.”

The family whose son was killed on the Raging River ride at Iowa's Adventureland park last year has filed a lawsuit against the former owners and operators of the park alleging they improperly fixed and operated the ride ahead of 11-year-old Michael Jaramillo’s death, and they did little to help save him once his raft flipped over.

The Jaramillo family seeks monetary damages, though unclear how much, and is suing Adventure Lands of America Inc., owner Michael Krantz and other high-level employees.

On July 3, 2021, the Jaramillo family got on a raft that had been fixed with non-manufacturer parts and had issues that day with hitting the ground of the ride underneath the water, according to the suit. The raft the family rode almost immediately started taking on large amounts of water and flipped over after hitting the bottom of the ride, the suit states.

From there, the raft continued down the waterway overturned with some family members, including Michel and his brother David Jr. underneath, according to the suit. Michael’s father, David Sr., allegedly tried to rescue the kids, but couldn’t due to breaking bones in his shoulder in the accident. The suit states the two boys were pulled out by a woman on a separate raft and helped by a fireworks crew there that day setting up. No Adventureland employees helped, nor did they know a raft had flipped over due to multiple blind spots on the ride, the lawsuit says.

Michael Jaramillo died in the incident, and his brother David Jr. spent his 16th birthday in a coma because of it, according to the lawsuit.

Adventureland had extra firefighters and police officers in the park at the time, according to the lawsuit, but they weren’t notified of the incident until after being notified by dispatch and not by members of the park. The extra first responders did not respond until after the boys were pulled from the raft and onshore, the suit states.

“When the ambulances arrived at the park, the first responders discovered that Adventure Land had closed and locked the emergency access gate. The first responders could not unlock the heavy chain securing the access gate. No one from Adventure Land was present to unlock the access gate. The locked access gate delayed the ambulances’ response to the family,” the suit alleges.

The lawsuit goes on to say no supervisor could be found by first responders and that employees who greeted first responders were not aware of the emergency on the ride. First responders on the scene could not get vehicles within 100 yards of the family, according to the suit, because of the fireworks display.

The suit alleges the layout of the park delays the response for emergencies to the Raging River ride. It also alleges a previous death of a worker on the ride highlighted the poor layout for first responders.

All of the Jaramillo family members on the ride that day were physically and emotionally injured, according to the lawsuit. At 6:23 p.m. on July 4, Michael died from the injuries he received on the ride, his official cause of death was freshwater drowning, according to the Polk County Medical Examiner, the suit states.

Michael’s brother, David Jr., was in a medically induced coma and “continues to demonstrate difficulties with [cognitive] motor tasks, memory, writing, safety and endurance,” according to his doctors.

The ride has not been in operation since, and state inspectors said they found 17 separate safety violations and 11 specific issues that need to be addressed before the Raging River can legally reopen.

The safety violations included improper repairs and inadequate records documenting the history of both repairs and ride training, evacuation training and deficient daily ride inspection forms.

State records of violations also spell out that the former company used a popular infomercial product Flex Seal to repair leaks, that there was no documentation for the manager on duty, and that fireworks blocked the entrance for first responders that day.

Adventureland takes issues with those claims by the state. The company released a statement through its attorney Guy Cook when the state report was released in November.

At that time, Cook told sister station KCCI, "the state's report has factual errors, comments on matters unrelated to the accident."

Cook went on to write, "the report fails to acknowledge the issues cited in the order, if true, would have been in existence when the state inspector signed off on the ride following an inspection the day before the accident."

In a statement sent Thursday, Cook said, "The assertions of the lawsuit will be specifically addressed in future court filings. For nearly 40 years each Adventureland ride, including the Raging River ride, have undergone detailed annual safety inspections by the State of Iowa and rigorous daily inspections by park maintenance and ride operators. Sadly, the tragic accident of July 3, 2021 was the result of a number of extraordinarily unusual factors coming together. Safety is and always been the number one priority at Adventureland."

The 11 items that must be completed before the ride can reopen include a change in evacuation plan for a "safe and timely evacuation," retest major modifications made to the ride including steel plates attached to the bottom, have an engineer sign off on the safety of the ride and have the ride manufacturer sign off on the safety of the rafts. The state document goes on to say Adventureland should be able to see people on the ride at all times, written documentation of all repairs and more.

The lawsuit alleges those metal plates, and improperly installed bladders, failed to keep the raft afloat that the Jaramillo family rode.

The amusement park was purchased by Palace Entertainment in December. That group operates amusement parks in the United States and a water park in Australia.

Palace Entertainment is keeping the ride closed for the 2022 season. Palace Entertainment is not named in the lawsuit and did not own the park at the time of the incident.

Current Adventureland general manager Bill Lentz told KCCI in April the amusement park is working with the ride manufacturer Intamin Amusement Rides.

"We have had the ride manufacturer out here once to take a quick look, we are going to have to get him back out here again as we get a little bit better weather and a chance to better assess it," Lentz said.

The lawsuit states all defendants were negligent for failing to reasonably operate the Raging River ride, failing to keep it up to Iowa state standards, failing to maintain the rafts in a reasonably safe condition, failing to reasonably inspect it and failing to properly respond once the incident did happen.

It goes on to say the park had “exclusive control” of the ride that day and that the Jaramillo family’s injuries and Michael’s death would not have happened if the park would have cared for the ride so the raft did not flip over. It alleges that Adventureland modified the raft to make them defective and was not in compliance with Iowa law. It states the park knew or should have known, of the unsafe conditions.

The lawsuit states that Adventureland’s conduct and failures are a direct proximate cause of the Jaramillo family’s personal injuries, including “physical pain and suffering, loss of full body and mind, emotional injuries and loss of consortium…”

The lawsuit seeks monetary judgment, but does not state how much, and requests a jury trial.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Iowa Republicans have scheduled the party's presidential nominating caucuses for Jan. 15, 2024, putting the first votes of the next election a little more than six months away.

The Iowa Republican Party's state central committee voted unanimously Saturday to hold the leadoff contests on the third Monday in January — on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday.

Though Republican presidential candidates have been campaigning in Iowa since last winter, there has been some uncertainty about when the traditional leadoff contests would be held. That is partly due to the Democratic National Committee's reshuffling of its calendar and dropping Iowa as its first contest.

The GOP date is earlier by several weeks than the past three Iowa caucuses, though not as early as 2008, when they were held just three days into the new year.

Caucuses, unlike primary elections, are contests planned, financed and carried out by the parties, not state election officials. The Iowa announcement Saturday allows New Hampshire, which has not set a primary election date yet, to protect its first-in-the-nation status, which is codified in state law that requires that contest to be held at least seven days ahead of any other primary.

Last month, South Carolina Republicans adopted Feb. 24 as the date for the traditional first Southern primary, leaving plenty of time for Nevada to schedule its Republican caucuses without crowding New Hampshire.

"We remain committed to maintaining Iowa's cherished first-in-the-nation caucuses, and look forward to holding a historic caucus in the coming months and defeating Joe Biden come November 2024," Iowa Republican Party Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement.

Saturday's decision could have implications for both parties because Iowa Democrats had been waiting on the state's Republican Party to set its caucus date as they try to adjust to new DNC rules on the order of the 2024 presidential primary.

Iowa Democrats have proposed holding a caucus on the same day as the state's Republicans and allowing participants to vote for president via mail-in ballot. But Iowa Democrats have said they may not immediately release the results.

That could allow the state party to still hold the first-in-the-nation caucus without defying a new primary calendar endorsed by President Joe Biden and approved by the DNC that calls for South Carolina to replace Iowa in the leadoff spot and kick off primary voting on Feb. 3.

MAQUOKETA, Iowa —

Three family members were shot to death while camping in a state park in eastern Iowa Friday, and the suspected gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Officers responded to reports of the shooting at the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground before 6:30 a.m. Friday, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a statement. Officers found three people fatally shot in a tent at the campground, division assistant director Mitch Mortvedt said.

The three victims were related, Mortvedt said. Later Friday, the Iowa Department of Public Safety identified them as Tyler Schmidt, 42, Sarah Schmidt, 42, and Lulu Schmidt, 6, all of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Mortvedt didn't provide a motive for the killings.

Officials immediately evacuated everyone from the park, a children's summer camp on the grounds and the campground. Once the evacuation was complete, the only registered camper not accounted for was 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin, Mortvedt said.

“He was known to be armed. That of course heightened our awareness as well,” Mortvedt said. Iowa allows people with permits to carry firearms virtually anywhere in the state. Officials did not say if Sherwin had a permit.

Using a plane to help search the area, law enforcement later found Sherwin dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a wooded area of the park. Sherwin came from Nebraska, and investigators don't believe he had any prior relationship with the victims, Mortvedt said.

Mortvedt said he could not say whether Sherwin had a criminal record. A search of online court records in Nebraska and Iowa did not produce any record of prior criminal behavior.

Autopsies on Sherwin and the victims were scheduled to be performed over the weekend, Mortvedt said, and more information would likely be released based on those findings.

The park, which remained closed Friday, is about 50 miles east of Cedar Rapids.

___

Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa. Beck reported from Omaha, Nebraska.

KEY WEST, Fla. —

New York had its hot dog eating contest to celebrate Independence Day. But the Florida Keys had a sweeter alternative on Tuesday.

The Key Lime Pie Eating Championship in Key West, where Key lime pie originated, was won by Joshua Mogle, a 38-year-old Altoona, Iowa, tire manufacturing manager.

Mogle plunged face-first into a 9-inch pie smothered with whipped cream during the challenge, whose rules forbid contestants to use their hands.

The gooey competition has become a subtropical substitute to Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest.

Video above: Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest weigh-in ahead of Fourth of July

Mogle consumed the confection in three minutes and 35 seconds, besting 24 rivals in the culmination of Key West's five-day Key Lime Festival.

"Eat… eat… eat… always have pie in my mouth," said Mogle, when asked about the strategy he employed.

Experts believe Key lime pie was developed in the late 1800s in Key West. Its primary ingredients are condensed milk, egg yolks and the juice of tiny yellow Key limes, typically with a graham cracker crust and whipped cream or meringue topping.

In 2006, the tart, creamy dessert was designated Florida's official pie by the state legislature.

The competition took place less than 24 hours after a Key lime pie measuring 13.14 feet (4 meters) in diameter, to be submitted for certification as the world's largest, was created for the Florida Keys' bicentennial celebration.

July 3 marked the 200th anniversary of the Florida Territorial Legislature's establishment of Monroe County, containing the entire Keys island chain.

The federal government is making it easier for farmers to grow food as the nation faces record inflation and supply chain issues.

The USDA is allowing farmers to insure a second crop planted and harvested on the same piece of land — a practice known as double or relay cropping.

One farmer in Iowa started planting a second crop back in 2016.

Until this week, it was illegal to insure his second crop — soybeans.

"That's why we have these meetings to help other farms understand what we're doing. That's why we push so hard with the insurance program. I went on my own without insurance. I could handle that, but I know for other farmers to transition they need that crutch," Loran Steinlage said.

The USDA said the goal is to help avoid a food shortage.

Watch the video above for the full story.

An Iowa teacher did more than take her work home with her. She featured it in her wedding.

Brandi Rickard's former students loved her second-grade class.

"She helps people a lot, like when they don't know a math question," Stella Fratzke, Richard's former student, said.

So when they found out last spring that she would be getting married over the summer, they wanted to celebrate with her.

"This was my way of including them," Rickard said.

The Wilkins Elementary teacher had her students create art ahead of summer break, which she displayed on the tables at her August wedding.

"I think it's pretty cool," Dale Wrage, a former student, said.

"Every student got to draw me and my now husband and what they thought we would look like at the wedding," Rickard said.

Watch the video above for more on this story.

An Iowa boy is using his artwork to raise awareness and money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Arsh Pal started painting when he was 8 years old, and his work has taken off since then. He started selling his canvas paintings and donating all of the proceeds to St. Jude — he said he wants to help kids with cancer."Originally, my first goal was raising $1,000 for St. Jude Research Hospital and everybody kind of doubted me because I was so young, but when I did raise $1,000 everybody was surprised," the 12-year-old from Dubuque said.Related video: President Biden lays out plan to cut cancer deaths in half within next 25 yearsOver the past four years, Pal has raised more than $15,000. He was also honored with the Diana Award for his efforts.

MARSHALL COUNTY, Iowa — Authorities in Iowa announced this week that a human jawbone found last month belonged to a prehistoric person.

The Marshall County Sheriff's Office said that on Aug. 11, a conservation staff conducting a biological and wildlife survey found a possible human lower jawbone in the Iowa River.

Officials said the jawbone was intact, but it had deteriorated to the point that they believed it was several years old.

Investigators also found three other potential human bones in the area, the department said.

According to the news release, the county medical examiner was called in to collect the findings and sent them to the state's medical examiner's office for more testing.

Well, on Wednesday, the sheriff's office said that examinations by the state's medical examiner's office revealed it belonged to a human.

It was then sent to the Office of the State Archaeologist at the University of Iowa for further examination, which later determined that it likely belonged to a prehistoric Native American man who was middle to older, the press release said.

According to the department, the other three bones were determined to be nonhuman.

This isn't the first time this year that receding water levels have led to discovered objects once buried deep underwater.

Since May, several human remains, and a World War II-era boat has been unearthed in Lake Mead.

In Texas, a lack of rainfall helped wildlife officials find 113 million-year-old dinosaur tracks in a dried-up river last month.

Over 80 million people from the Midwest to the East Coast are under air quality alerts as smoke from the Canadian wildfires sweep across the U.S. border Tuesday, prompting beach closures, warnings about reduced visibility and calls to stay indoors.Canada is seeing its worst fire season on record with hundreds of wildfires raging across the country – more than 200 of them burning "out of control," according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The wildfires have led to the highest emissions on record for the country, according to a Tuesday report from Copernicus.Video above: The kind of air conditioner filter you need to filter smoke from your homeAs smoke crosses into the U.S., air quality alerts have been issued for the entire states of Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Delaware and Maryland as well are portions of Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, according to the National Weather Service. Residents are being advised to stay indoors with their air conditioning running or wear N95 masks if they have to be outside.Chicago had the worst air quality in the world Tuesday evening, according to IQAir. The city's Air Quality Index measured at 193 – a high reading designated as "unhealthy."The city has asked all residents – especially those with heart or lung disease, older adults, pregnant people and young children – to avoid outdoor activities and protect themselves from exposure. Chicago Public Schools and camps are also moving activities indoors, city officials said in a news release.Video below: Homemade air purifier can protect against wildfire smoke inside at homeAbout 11 miles away, Evanston, Illinois, is closing all swimming beaches and canceling a concert Tuesday due to the poor air quality, the city said on Facebook, asking residents to limit outdoor exposure through Wednesday. Across the state line in Michigan, the Mackinac Bridge stood covered with smoke Tuesday. Drivers were asked to drive slow and with caution due to the reduced visibility on the bridge. Detroit, Michigan, had the second worst air quality in the world Tuesday evening, with an "unhealthy" Air Quality Index is at 174, according to IQAir.High levels of fine particulate in the air in Michigan could become unhealthy or hazardous for all residents at some points – not just sensitive groups, the state's health department warned. "The most protective option when air is unhealthy for you is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities. If you have to be outside, N95 masks offer enhanced protection when used according to product instructions," the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.Indianapolis drivers were also warned about reduced visibility, with the National Weather Service saying to "be prepared for haze that could suddenly reduce visibilities" in some areas Tuesday and Wednesday.Video below: Canada's provinces, territories sign on to national climate adaptation strategyNew York is also expected to see unhealthy levels of smoke return Wednesday and Thursday to some areas – about three weeks after New York City topped the list of the world's worst air pollution as smoke from the Canadian wildfires wafted south, turning skies orange. "New Yorkers should be prepared for elevated levels of fine particulate pollution caused by smoke on Wednesday and Thursday," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. "Current projections show the highest concentrations of smoke will slowly push east across the eastern half of New York State during the day Thursday, extending across much of the state."In Ohio, a spokesperson for the Cleveland's mayor's office said "what happened in NY a few weeks ago and Chicago today may happen here in Cleveland tomorrow."The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency issued an air quality advisory, forecasting fine particulate levels in the "Unhealthy" Air Quality Index range.Wildfire smoke carries particulate matter, or PM2.5 – a tiny but dangerous pollutant that, when inhaled, can travel deep into lung tissue and enter the bloodstream, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The particulate matter has been linked to a number of health problems including asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

An Iowa task force has completed its search for survivors at the site of a partially collapsed Davenport apartment building without finding three missing people who are feared dead, authorities said Friday. The focus has shifted to shoring up the structure so recovery efforts can begin.

The remains of the six-story apartment building were constantly in motion in the first 24 to 36 hours after it collapsed on Sunday, which officials said posed a risk to rescuers who were trying to search for survivors.

"We do what the building tells us to do," Rick Halleran, the task force's Cedar Rapids division chief, said of the delay in searching the building.

City officials earlier this week said that Brandon Colvin, Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien were unaccounted for and had "high probability of being home at the time of the collapse." All three have since been listed in the National Database of Missing Persons.

The state task force was mobilized and on-site to first search for survivors and then secure the structure, Halleran said. He said the search for survivors was completed Thursday evening after electrical equipment connected to the building were controlled. The state's search and rescue team, search dogs and cameras were used in the search Thursday.

Officials fear the unstable building will eventually collapse on its own. Adding to the challenge is a giant pile of brick and steel at the base of the building that is helping to hold up the structure but also may contain the remains of people killed in the collapse.

Video above: Surveillance video shows a support brace bending before Iowa building collapse

"We are doing the best we can to balance the building conditions and the safety of our responders," said Fire Chief Mike Carlsten. He said conditions have forced a response that may take "days and weeks" instead of what ideally would have been minutes or hours after the collapse.

Mayor Mike Matson has said the debris pile "could be a place of rest for some of the unaccounted" and stressed the city would be sensitive about those remains, comparing work at the site to an archeological dig.

Work to bring down the building comes amid questions about why neither the owner nor city officials warned residents about potential danger even after a structural engineer's report issued last week indicated a wall of the century-old building was at imminent risk of crumbling.

Documents released Wednesday night show city officials and the building's owner were warned for months that parts of the building were unstable.

"Do I have regrets about this tragedy and about people potentially losing their lives? Hell yeah. Do I think about this every moment? Hell yeah," Matson said Thursday. "I have regrets about a lot of things. Believe me, we're going to look at that."

City officials said Thursday that they did not order an evacuation because they relied on the engineer's assurances that the building remained safe. Matson promised to improve inspections and to investigate what happened.

Scott County prosecutor Kelly Cunningham cautioned Friday against assuming a criminal prosecution is appropriate in the case, saying an independent investigation needs to be conducted into the cause of the building's structural failure, and right now it's in the city's jurisdiction.

The building collapsed shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday. Rescue crews pulled seven people from the building in their initial response and escorted out 12 others who could walk on their own. Later, two more people were rescued, including a woman who was removed from the fourth floor hours after authorities said they were going to begin setting up for demolition.

Davenport Police Chief Jeff Bladel said transient people also often entered the building but there was no indication anyone else was inside and missing.

Andrew Wold, the building's owner, released a statement dated Tuesday saying "our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants." He has made no statement since then, and efforts to reach him, his company and a man believed to be his attorney have been unsuccessful.

County records show Davenport Hotel L.L.C. acquired the building in a 2021 deal worth $4.2 million.

Tenants had complained to the city in recent years about a host of problems they say were ignored by property managers, including no heat or hot water for weeks or even months at a time, as well as mold and water leakage from ceilings and toilets. While city officials tried to address some complaints and gave vacate orders to individual apartments, a broader evacuation was never ordered, records show.

City officials ordered repairs after they found seven fire code violations on Feb. 6. However, they were told three weeks later by building maintenance officials that "none of the work was completed," records show.

Rich Oswald, the city's director of development and neighborhood services, confirmed Thursday that the city's chief building official, Trishna Pradhan, resigned in the aftermath of the collapse.

Pradhan had visited the building on May 25, and erroneously reported it had "passed" an inspection in notes in the city's online permitting system, Oswald said.

Pradhan attempted to change the inspection result to "incomplete" on Tuesday — after the collapse — but a technical glitch instead listed the outcome as "failed," he said. Oswald said the "incomplete" status is the correct status since the repair work was unfinished.

The city later clarified that Pradhan resigned voluntarily and not in lieu of termination.

Calls and text messages to Pradhan were not immediately returned.

Assistant City Attorney Brian Heyer said he is unaware whether the city had considered earlier civil enforcement action to protect residents. Only after the collapse did the city file a civil infraction seeking a $300 fine against Wold for failing to maintain the structure in a safe manner. He will be required to pay for the cost of demolition, Heyer said.

___

Foley reported from Iowa City. Associated Press reporter Summer Ballentine contributed from Jefferson City, Missouri.

DAVENPORT, Iowa —

Officials in Davenport, Iowa, say they’re carefully assessing whether rescuers can further search a partially collapsed apartment building – which they say can topple at any moment – for missing residents before they order the structure demolished.

Five people are unaccounted for after the back portion of the six-story structure collapsed Sunday afternoon, and officials believe two of those missing may still be in the building, Mayor Mike Matson said Tuesday.

The owner of the building, Andrew Wold, has been cited for failing to maintain the structure in a safe and structurally sound condition, according to a court document filed Tuesday. He faces a $300 fine and court costs if he is found guilty or doesn’t contest the citation, the document says.

Wold’s court date is set for June 9.

Sister station KCCI reported that Wold released a statement nearly 72 hours after the building collapsed.

According to KCCI, the full statement, which is from Wold "and the entire property management team" says: "Our thoughts and prayers are with our tenants and families during this difficult time. We would like to thank the brave men and women of Davenport fire, Davenport police department, and all other first responders for their tireless efforts to ensure everyone’s safety. We have been working closely with the American Red Cross and other agencies to assist the displaced tenants affected by this event. We are forever grateful to them for all of their assistance with our tenants."

On Tuesday afternoon, emergency crews reentered the building and rescued several animals as they searched portions that engineers believed were safe enough to explore – but they did not detect signs of human survivors, the city said.

Officials are determining whether further searches are possible as the “extremely volatile” wreckage threatens to crumple even further and poses a significant safety risk for crews who may enter, Davenport Fire Marshal Jim Morris said at a news conference Tuesday.

The debris from Sunday’s collapse is currently helping to hold the building up, according to Larry Sandhaas, a structural engineer hired by the city.

"You can't run up to a pile of bricks and rocks and just start throwing things off – as much as we want to," Morris said at Tuesday's news conference, becoming emotional several times as he spoke. "It's not that we don't want to do this. It's the fact that we have to do it in a safe manner. … We’re going to reevaluate how safe we can be in order to get in there and not currently make the situation any worse."

News that the city was weighing the building’s demolition drew protesters this week to the property – demonstrators who were concerned some residents could still be trapped, CNN affiliate Quad-City Times reported. Some held signs reading, "Who is in the rubble?" and "Find them first!!"

The city had initially indicated in an online post Monday that demolition was expected to start Tuesday morning, with an official later adding a demolition was necessary "to maintain as much safety for the surrounding area as possible."

A ninth survivor ended up being rescued from the site that day, the mayor said. By Tuesday morning, the city government posted that the timing of the demolition “is still being evaluated,” though initial phases of the process, such as permitting and staging of equipment, would begin Tuesday.

Besides the nine rescued, more than a dozen others were escorted from the site following the collapse, officials said. The cause of the collapse has not been determined.

Rescue and recovery crews have performed multiple searches of the structure using dogs, drones, thermal imaging, infrared and trained rescuers, but found no additional signs of life, Davenport Fire Chief Mike Carlsten said.

All of the building's residents have been displaced, with city officials saying they will not be allowed back into the building to collect their belongings.

'I just want them to do the right thing'

With officials yet to announce when the building will be demolished, the family of resident Branden Colvin says he is still missing and is demanding the city carry out further searches before razing the site.

Colvin was supposed to meet his family on the evening of the collapse, but never made it to the gathering, Colvin’s cousin Preston McDowell told CNN. Several calls to Colvin’s phone have gone unanswered, he said.

McDowell said he doesn’t understand why the city would consider demolition if some residents are still missing.

“They’re not giving us any answers. I just don’t get it,” McDowell said. “You know there are people still unaccounted for, but you want to tear down the building. What sense does that make?”

He added, “They’re letting us know they don’t care.”

The way the building collapsed “reduces the chances that there will be spaces – what we call void spaces – large spaces where people can survive,” Sandhaas, the structural engineer who assessed the building, said.

“We understand that this is an unthinkable situation, especially for the families that are involved and impacted by this event,” Matson said Tuesday.

A family member of missing resident Ryan Hitchcock says his loved ones have come to terms with the likelihood that he did not survive and that the family supports the city’s plan to take down the rest of the building to prevent further harm.

“I don’t discount that he could be trapped under there miraculously,” Hitchcock’s relative Amy Anderson said at the city’s Tuesday news conference. “But we don’t want to see any more families lose their lives or anybody else be injured in trying to remove that rubble and have anything fall.”

Morris, the fire marshal, said his department is partnering with other groups to determine how “to remove any possible human remains with dignity.”

“I will not allow them to use explosives in a heavily populated downtown area,” Morris said. “This would be a coordinated demolition.”

Cause of collapse to be investigated

The cause of the catastrophe has still not been determined, officials have said, but the city plans to turn over documentation including videos, photos and logs to an investigative team, Matson said.

The agency that will lead the investigation has yet to be determined, the mayor said.

"At this time, we have not gotten to the point where we have determined whether a criminal offense has occurred in order to initiate a criminal investigation," Morris said. "Regardless of what happens, there will be an investigation into how this happened. There must be."

The building’s owner had current permits for repairs to the exterior wall, according to officials.

Images of piled rubble and the building's exposed interior rooms evoked memories of the 2021 condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida, that killed 98 people, as well as a recent New York City parking garage collapse that killed one person and injured at least five.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

A Drake University dining hall cashier is discovering just how much her student customers love her.

“Brian, how are you?” shouts Marietta Jackson to a student heading in for lunch.

When was the last time a lunch lady greeted you by name?

“Hi, Anthony. How are you?” as another favorite student enters the dining hall.

Jackson is no ordinary lunch lady. For 15 years, she's been a powerful light that brightens the Hubbell Dining Hall in Des Moines, Iowa, on the campus of Drake University. She makes everybody that passes her cashier station feel right at home.

“She is an amazing woman. She is always so kind. She takes care of us and always makes you feel special,” said Drake student Chris Davis.

Jackson says with a laugh, “They love me. I love them. I'm their mom away from home.”

“She knows everybody’s name. She lights up your day. Makes you feel welcome. You would never guess she is going through what she is going through,” said Okay Djamouz, a Drake basketball player.

What she is going through might wipe that smile away. But not Jackson.

“I have ovarian cancer, which has not been pleasant at all,” she said.

Jackson has been on and off the job and in the hospital, dealing with scary health issues. That's when Drake basketball player Maggie Bair opened a GoFundMe account for her. It's raised more than $18,000 for medical expenses.

“I feel surrounded with love,” said Jackson.

And that love is mutual.

“To have that level of warmth and comfort and joy come from this one little body is something that I feel everybody looks forward to. I know I look forward to it," said former Drake University staffer Keesha Ward.

Jackson says she is trying to work as much as she can through her diagnosis. She asked us to let her send a message.

“I feel their prayers, and I am truly blessed. Thank you so much. I don't even know how to say thank you. Thank you,” Jackson said with a giggle.

Jackson says the GoFundMe gift will help pay some medical expenses not covered by her insurance.

The Iowa Attorney General's Office has paused its practice of paying for emergency contraception — and in rare cases, abortions — for victims of sexual assault, a move that drew criticism from some victim advocates.

Federal regulations and state law require Iowa to pay many of the expenses for sexual assault victims who seek medical help, such as the costs of forensic exams and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Under the previous attorney general, Democrat Tom Miller, Iowa's victim compensation fund also paid for Plan B, the so-called morning after pill, as well as other treatments to prevent pregnancy.

A spokeswoman for Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird, who defeated Miller's bid for an 11th term in November, told the Des Moines Register that those payments are now on hold as part of a review of victim services.

“As a part of her top-down, bottom-up audit of victim assistance, Attorney General Bird is carefully evaluating whether this is an appropriate use of public funds,” Bird Press Secretary Alyssa Brouillet said in a statement. “Until that review is complete, payment of these pending claims will be delayed.”

Victim advocates were caught off guard by the pause. Ruth Richardson, CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in a statement that the move was “deplorable and reprehensible.”

Bird's decision comes as access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the U.S. plunged into uncertainty following conflicting court rulings on Friday over the legality of the abortion medication mifepristone. For now, the drug the Food and Drug Administration approved in 2000 appeared to remain at least immediately available in the wake of separate rulings issued in quick succession.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, ordered a hold on federal approval of mifepristone. But that decision came at nearly the same time that U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice in Washington, D.C., an appointee of former President Barack Obama, essentially ordered the opposite.

The extraordinary timing of the competing orders revealed the high stakes surrounding the drug nearly a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and curtailed access to abortion across the country. President Joe Biden said his administration would fight the Texas ruling.

In Iowa, money for the victim compensation fund comes from fines and penalties paid by convicted criminals. For sexual assault victims, state law requires that the fund pay “the cost of a medical examination of a victim for the purpose of gathering evidence and the cost of treatment of a victim for the purpose of preventing venereal disease,” but makes no mention of contraception or pregnancy risk.

Sandi Tibbetts Murphy, who served as director of the victim assistance division under Miller, said the longtime policy for Iowa has been to include the cost of emergency contraception in the expenses covered by the fund. She said that in rare cases, the fund paid for abortions for rape victims.

“My concern is for the victims of sexual assault, who, with no real notice, are now finding themselves either unable to access needed treatment and services, or are now being forced to pay out of their own pocket for those services, when this was done at no fault of their own,” she said.

The nation's egg producers are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs that is dramatically changing the lives of millions of hens in response to new laws and demands from restaurant chains.

In a decade, the percentage of hens in cage-free housing has soared from 4% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, and that figure is expected to more than double to about 70% in the next four years. The change marks one of the animal welfare movement's biggest successes after years of battles with the food industry.

The transition has cost billions of dollars for producers who initially resisted calls for more humane treatment of chickens but have since fully embraced the new reality.

One leader at the nation's second-largest egg producer said it's time to listen to customers.

Marcus Rust, the CEO of Rose Acre Farms in Indiana said, “What we producers failed to realize early on was that the people funding all the animal rights activist groups, they were our customers. And at the end of the day, we have to listen to our customers.” 

McDonalds shifted to buying cage-free eggs after finding that customers preferred them. The fast-food giant buys around 2 billion eggs each year.

GLENWOOD, Iowa —

An Iowa teenager is turning to surgery, hoping an expensive procedure will give her a new smile.

Since she was a little girl, Liberty Williams’ mouth curved a bit different than those around her. Now after years of bullying, she said she doesn't feel free to smile wide.

"Do I have a crooked smile?"

At 4 years old, Liberty asked her mom that question.

Dusty Williams said her daughter's preschool teacher had brought it up to her.

It broke her heart, so they tried to find a fix.

"There was nothing, we had no diagnosis at all,” Dusty Williams said.

So for 15 years, Liberty lived with one side of her mouth being different. And bullies have always noticed.

"It was hard because I know I’m different from other people and people would just see me differently than I do, so I just want to be seen as normal and have a normal mouth but it’s hard when people keep saying things,” Liberty said.

This past year the bullying took a big turn.

Liberty got an anonymous text message calling her names and saying, "You have no point in life and nobody wants you here. I don’t know how you get friends with that messed up mouth."

"It didn’t have a phone number or anything, I didn’t know what to do. I went straight to my mom,” Liberty said.

"She was just sobbing in a ball on her bed, just sobbing and I was angry,” Dusty Williams said.

After calls to the police, the school, the phone provider and the county attorney with no answers, the Williams family felt at a loss.

But, that reignited their search for a doctor who could help.

A surgeon in Omaha, Nebraska, tried, but once Liberty was under anesthesia, Williams said the doctor came out with bad news.

"This surgery was unsuccessful. We went in, we cut her open we dug around and there’s actually no nerves or muscles in the entire side of her face,” Dusty Williams said.

He was able to place gold in her eye, which allowed her to finally close her eyes completely.

That doctor referred them all the way to a surgeon in Beverly Hills. They believe he can do a facial reanimation.

"They can’t fix anything internally but on the outside, they can make her smile a little more symmetrical and change some of the things about her that she's uncomfortable with,” Dusty Williams said.

A GoFundMe will pay for the expensive surgery.

A friend is offering photoshoots, with the proceeds going to the Williams family.

Money is also being raised by the sale of anti-bullying T-shirts in Liberty’s name.

“That’s what’s more important is that they stop treating her that way to me than fixing who she is, like that’s who she is,” Dusty Williams said.

In the end, it’s Liberty's choice.

"I think if I got the surgery I’d be happier with my smile but I feel like other people are winning if I do. So, I don’t know what to do,” Liberty said.

The story of an Iowa teenager whose world turned upside down just a month before her college athletics career was set to start is a story of perseverance.

Carly Stevenson was rushed to the hospital with a blood clot a month before her first day of class at Wartburg College. She was all set to throw shot put and discus for the college track team.

Doctors thought it was dire. In fact, they told her family to start preparing for the worst.

But they kept their faith. She's now in recovery and working with occupational therapists.

Every day, they work to improve her balance, head control, hand and arm movements and communication skills.

But it’s her team of doctors who have found themselves inspired by her desire to progress.

"If you look at her story from start to finish you know. As she's growing up and going through sports and playing at like an elite level, it's kind of easy to look back at her story now and feel sad about it. But I think she really has come over so many things it is really a story about hope," occupational therapist Samantha Williams said.

Her mom said she still has a spot on Wartburg's team and that her coaches and teammates still keep in touch with her.

A family friend has started a Facebook page and a GoFundMe page — Carly's Fight — for people who want to keep up with her journey through rehabilitation.

Carly's mom said friends and family have donated more than $30,000.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa —

A teacher at an Iowa high school is under arrest accused of leaving a series of threatening notes around school referencing gun violence.

Local police said an investigation into a series of anonymous handwritten notes led them to Abraham Lincoln High School teacher Katrina Phelan, 37. Police said all the notes referenced committing gun violence on school property and were found in Phelan's classroom or by Phelan herself.

According to police in an affidavit, all four notes in question were either found and recovered by students in Phelan's classroom or by Phelan herself.

The affidavit says Phelan admitted to writing the notes and said they were written on paper from her classroom. Police said she confirmed the handwriting on the note was hers, but couldn't recall writing them.

The affidavit also states that when asked why she was writing these notes, Phelan responded by saying "it was out of concern, worry and frustration over the lack of control of her classroom."

When asked what she hoped to accomplish by writing these notes, investigators said Phelan told them maybe to bring attention to the fact that it's "not a safe place."

Investigators said they determined Phelane had no intentions or means of carrying out the threats. They describe one note posing as an unnamed student who said they were tired of being made fun of.

Phelan faces charges of Threats of Terrorism. The three counts are Class D felonies, punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

The following email was sent to ALHS parents:

The Council Bluffs Police Department has concluded its investigation into the threatening notes found at school a few weeks ago. They have determined the source of the notes to be a school employee. Investigators concluded there was no intent or means to carry out the threats. However, the employee has been charged with a crime, has voluntarily surrendered to the police, and will no longer be employed by the Council Bluffs Schools. We appreciate the detectives and their diligence in solving this crime.

During that investigation, students provided us with information that was helpful. This is what we expect from students at ALHS.

We want all students, parents and staff members to have confidence that our schools are safe and supportive environments.

Mrs. Bellows, Principal

FAIRFIELD, Iowa —

A Spanish teacher in Iowa was found dead in a park near the high school where she taught, and two teens have been charged in her death.

Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding said in a news release that the remains found in Chautauqua Park have been confirmed to be those of Nohema Graber. The Fairfield School District website shows Graber has been teaching Spanish at the school since 2012. She had been reported missing Wednesday.

Moulding said agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation conducted a preliminary investigation and ruled the death a homicide.

Court documents show Graber suffered from an injury to her head, and her body was found under a tarp. A police report states the suspects had items with blood on them.

Two teens have been charged in the investigation. Willard Noble Chaiden Miller, 16, and Jeremy Everett Goodale, 16, have been charged with first-degree homicide and first-degree conspiracy to commit homicide.

"Graber was employed as a Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, where Miller and Goodale were students. Based on the circumstances and their ages, Miller and Goodale are being criminally charged as adults," Moulding said.

Moulding said law enforcement does not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

Miller and Goodale will be making their court appearance on Nov. 12. Both are being held on $1 million cash bonds.

Superintendent Dr. Laurie Noll released a statement to families and staff stating the school would not be in session Friday and school counselors and crisis response teams would be available.

In the statement Noll said, "We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mrs. Graber. At this time our students’ and staffs’ well-being is our top priority. As a community, we will remain united in this time of tragedy."

When Jonathan Johnson was in the hospital battling COVID-19, his nurses said his outlook wasn't always good.

"He was as sick as you could be without passing away," said Amy Waldstein, critical care nurse at Methodist Jennie Edmunson in Iowa.

But they said he was a fighter throughout the journey.

"It was admirable about how he fought the whole time, he did every possible thing he needed to do to get past COVID," Waldstein said.

Johnathan finally got off the ventilator and his condition improved, but before he left the hospital, he had another goal in mind.

"When I finally woke up from being on the ventilator for three and a half weeks, and I was feeling a little better, and was able to breathe, I thought to myself, you know, I want to marry this one," Jonathan said.

He wanted to surprise his fiancé Mariah, so Jonathan and his nurses started planning.

Critical care nurse Jenna Harvey said it was a little unorthodox.

"There was no flower girl. However, I did throw some petals here and there for them," Harvey said.

The couple had been engaged for more than a year and Mariah says when she went to the hospital, she had no idea what was in store for her.

"We get in there, he told me, and I was completely blown back," Mariah said.

Harvey said the couple needed to celebrate after Jonathan's long battle.

"It's something they both deserve after going through such a tragic time in their relationship," Harvey said.

While it wasn't the wedding the couple had planned.

"She wanted to do a Halloween theme wedding, but I didn't know how long I was gonna be in the hospital," Jonathan said.

Jonathan says surviving his battle gave him some new perspective.

"I didn't want to have any regrets because after coming off the ventilator, you view a lot of things differently in life," Jonathan said.

Watch the full story in the video above.

DES MOINES, IA — The pandemic is still wreaking havoc in the foodservice and hospitality industry. According to the latest government numbers, a record number of workers quit their jobs in August, nearly 7% compared to 2.9% for the rest of the economy.

At a time when most restaurants were struggling to stay afloat, The Breakfast Club, a brunch spot in Des Moines, opened its doors during the pandemic.

“It's really hard right now,” said Josh Holderness, partner at The Breakfast Club.

A third of restaurant owners in Iowa have lost staff to other industries and don’t expect them to come back.

For Holderness, that means a sick call from an employee can turn things upside down.

“We just don't have the people that you can call on a moment's notice to maybe come in and cover their shifts,” he said.

But as restaurants, bars and other businesses in the hospitality industry struggle to find workers, new research suggests it’s about to get even worse.

According to a JobList survey of nearly 14,000 wage-earners, 58% of restaurant and hotel employees intend to quit their jobs by Jan. 1.

“We're really in a mode where we have to attract back workforce but also attract new workforce into our industry,” said Jessica Dunker, president & CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association.

She says the restaurant industry is hoping an influx of working moms could help restaurants recover from worker shortages.

“We really have some powerful, unique value proposition to offer potential employees, in particular working moms,” said Dunker.

With women accounting for half the restaurant workforce, flexible schedules could lure some working moms like Nina Punelli to the ranks.

Punelli quit her last job during the pandemic, in part, because juggling a rigid work schedule while raising two remote learners became untenable.

“It was tough. It was hard to manage that. School online, [the] job as well. It was hard,” she said.

With her twin daughters back at school, Punelli returned to the workforce as a server here at The Breakfast Club.

“Flexibility really drove me as a mother to come work here,” said Punelli. “They open early and close at a great time to offer me that opportunity to still have to go, get my kids, pick them up.”

Still, employment overall in the foodservice industry is down nearly a million jobs from pre-pandemic levels, and with Americans quitting in record numbers, there may not be enough women out there to fill the void.

“Not yet,” said Dunker. “We are looking hard, and we know that we have to really market what we can bring to the table as employers to attract those high-quality workers back into our industry.”

Finding that special someone can be tough in the best of times. But couples who met each other over the past year have had to balance getting closer emotionally while staying physically apart.

Dating during the pandemic has come with novelties at every turn. Megan Farley started dating her boyfriend right before staying at home became the norm.

"He's met my mom once, and we've been dating more than a year," Farley said. "It's just kind of strange. We didn't do family holidays and I've been fortunate enough to meet his family too, but every time we do this we have to get tested because his family lives with his grandfather."

Instead of spending time out with each other's friends, they've spent more time inside playing games.

"I feel like it made us bond a little bit more just because we weren't able to have all those other distractions," Farley said. "It really showed the connection we have."

Courtney Quinlan owns Midwest Matchmaking. She said business is not only busy, but dating itself has changed with COVID-19.

"People are dating with the intentions of finding a lasting relationship more so than the previous hook-up culture. A lot of people are A, not having resources to just go out to bars anymore because they're not open, or B, they're scared to do that," Quinlan said.

Sidney Jacobson got into a relationship shortly before the first case of the virus arrived in Iowa. She said she's kept her circle of contacts small, but now she's planning Summerset Winery's first indoor event for Valentine's Day.

"It will be very private, intimate," Jacobson said. "Only 12 groups down in the cellar, and then we made sure that tables are going to be spaced out."

DYERSVILLE, Iowa —

Nostalgia has never been so expensive.

Baseball celebrates the myth of its rural roots tonight when the New York Yankees meet the Chicago White Sox in a game adjacent to the field in rural Dyersville, Iowa, population 4,000, where the iconic 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" was filmed.

Fans are paying record amounts to attend the game, with most who bought tickets on the secondary market spending more than $1,400 to attend.

The prices are by far the highest average price ever for a regular season game, and have only been topped by a handful of World Series games, such as Game 4 of the 2016 World Series between two championship-starved teams as the Cleveland Indians met the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The average ticket price on the resale market that night was a record $3,500 on StubHub and $4,200 according to its rival SeatGeek.

StubHub says the average for Thursday's game on its site is $1,400, while SeatGeek says the average price of tickets sold on its site is $1,557.

Tickets have a face value of either $375 or $425, and were sold to fans in Iowa and White Sox season ticket holders who won lotteries for the right to buy about 8,000 seats at the temporary stadium in Dyersville, Iowa.

"There are several factors, including the tight supply of tickets available on the resale market," said Chris Layden, spokesperson for SeatGeek. "And every seat is about the same. There's no nosebleed seats. Sometimes you'll see the average price be really high but you can still pay a third of that and get in the door for a cheap seat. But that's not the case this time."

The game was originally planned to be played last year but was canceled because of the shortened, fanless baseball season.

The two teams involved are also adding to demand. The White Sox, whose home is a four-hour drive away from Dyersville, are in first place at this time of the season for the first time since 2012. And their opponent Yankees are one of the best-drawing road teams in baseball year-in and year-out.

"This has a whole life of it's own," said Adam Budelli, head of partnerships and business development at StubHub. "Adding in the fact that it's two marque teams, it's a perfect storm for this event."

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KCCI'S LAUREN JOHNSON HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE STOR Y. 32-YEAR-OLD KEEGAN CASTEEL IS FACING TWO FELONY CHARGES TONIGHT- - FOR UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON AND NOT HAVING A LICENSE TO CARRY IN ILLINOIS. (áááPKGáá á) DAVID BROWN, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT 54:29 <"AND THERE WAS ALSO A HANDGUN, ALONG WITH THE RIFLE AND FIVE RIFLE MAGAZINES ON THE WINDOW SILL OF THIS PARTICULAR OM> RO CHICAGO POLICE BELIEVE A POTENTIAL CRISIS WAS AVERTED ON JULY 4TH AS ANKENY RESIDENT KEEGAN CASTEEL NOW SITS BEHIND BA. RS THE 32-YEAR-OLWAS D STAYING AT THE W HOTEL IN CHICAGO OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN HOTEL STAFF FOUND AN ASSAULT RIFLE, HANDGUN AND LOADED MAGAZINES. DAVID BROWN, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT 1:40 <"OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNING GIVEN THE POSITION OF THE W HOTEL TO NAVY PIER."> THE HOTEL IS ALSO LOCATED NEAR OHIO STREET BEACH, WHICH WAS ALSO FULL OF PEOPLE FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. STCAEEL'S MOTIVE F OR HAVING THE WEAPONS IN HIS ROOM IS UNKNOWN. HE HAS NO VIOLT EN CRIMINAL HISTORY, HE DOES OWN AN IOWA GUN PERMIT BUT NOT AN ILLINOIS ON E. HIS BAIL WAS SET AT TEN-THOUSAND DOLLARS DURING HIS HEARINGN O TUESDAY - IF HE WERE TO PO ST HIS BAIL, THE MAN WOULD BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO IOWA WHILE HE AWAITS HIS TRIAL. ALFREDO PARRISH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, PARRISH LAW 4:19 <"AND HE HAD NO CRIMIN AL HISTORY AT ALL, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE UNUSUAL UNDER THESE CRICUMSTANCES FOR ILLINOISO TRELEASE HIM."> SOME HAVE POINTED OUT HOW THIS INCIDT ENIS VERY REMINICENT TO WHAT TOOK PLACE IN LAS VEGAS IN 2017. THASE SAILANT KILLED 61 IN A CROWD AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL BEFORE TAKING HIS OWN LIFE. EVEN AS THESE SITUATIONS SEEM TO BE SIMILAR, PARRH IS SAYS THE LEGAL PROCESS MUST RUN IT'S COURSE FIRST. ALFREDO PARRISH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, PARRISH LAW 11:29 <"THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, A PERSON IS PRESUM ED INNOCENT. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL

Man arrested after housekeeping found firearms in Chicago hotel room overlooking July 4 events

Updated: 11:56 PM EDT Jul 6, 2021

An Iowa man is in custody after police found a rifle with a laser sight in a Chicago hotel room that overlooks a Lake Michigan beach and a major tourist attraction.Authorities say a member of the cleaning staff at the W Hotel told police on Sunday they observed the rifle, a handgun and ammunition in the room occupied by 32-year-old Ankeny resident Keegan Casteel.The weapons were found on a 12th floor window sill on July 4th. Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. "Our joint terrorism task force officers debrief interviewed this person along with a companion and we are continuing this investigation," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "The circumstances are this, the employee alerted us we made contact with this person, made the arrest, began interviews, and also conducting gun tracing of both the rifle and the handgun for further investigation. There's no previous history of this person nor any other issues in our federal databases, but obviously very concerning given the position of the W Hotel to Navy Pier."On Tuesday, a Cook County judge ordered Casteel held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

CHICAGO —

An Iowa man is in custody after police found a rifle with a laser sight in a Chicago hotel room that overlooks a Lake Michigan beach and a major tourist attraction.

Authorities say a member of the cleaning staff at the W Hotel told police on Sunday they observed the rifle, a handgun and ammunition in the room occupied by 32-year-old Ankeny resident Keegan Casteel.

The weapons were found on a 12th floor window sill on July 4th. Casteel was arrested at the hotel and faces two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

"Our joint terrorism task force officers debrief interviewed this person along with a companion and we are continuing this investigation," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "The circumstances are this, the employee alerted us we made contact with this person, made the arrest, began interviews, and also conducting gun tracing of both the rifle and the handgun for further investigation. There's no previous history of this person nor any other issues in our federal databases, but obviously very concerning given the position of the W Hotel to Navy Pier."

On Tuesday, a Cook County judge ordered Casteel held in lieu of $10,000 bond.