IOWA CITY, Iowa — Five people, including three University of Iowa students, were shot and wounded early Sunday during a fight in a downtown pedestrian mall near the university campus, police said.
Iowa City police responded to reports of a large fight in the 100 block of East College Street around 1:46 a.m. local time. Officers heard gunfire upon arrival, and five victims were found with gunshot wounds, according to a department news release.
One victim was in critical condition and the other four were in stable condition as of Monday, Iowa City police said. University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson confirmed in a statement that three students were among those injured and that campus support services were made available.
The shooting occurred in the city's nightlife district, known as the Ped Mall, a popular area for students. No deaths were reported. Police have not identified the victims publicly and said details about their ages and exact conditions remained limited pending further updates.
Authorities released images of five persons of interest associated with the incident and asked for the public's help in locating them. No arrests had been made as of Monday, police said. Investigators described the event as stemming from the fight but provided no further information on possible motives or weapons used.
"Early today, a shooting in downtown Iowa City injured three University of Iowa students," Wilson said in her statement. The university urged anyone with information to contact police.
The incident took place in a busy pedestrian zone lined with bars and restaurants, though specific details about the number of people involved in the initial fight were not released.
As of Monday, the Iowa City Police Department continued its investigation. Detectives asked anyone with information to contact Detective Cade Burma or submit tips through Crime Stoppers. The university and city officials said they were monitoring the situation but released no additional statements on campus safety measures.
No updates on the conditions of the hospitalized victims or the status of the persons of interest were immediately available.
