In a statement published on Facebook Thursday, Feb. 10, Cedar Falls mayor Rob Greene responded to the deadly shooting on College Hill that occured Sunday, Feb. 8 at roughly 2 a.m. His response is as follows:

“As many of you have already learned in the press, at 1:50 a.m. this past Sunday, individuals from Mason City and Davenport had a chance encounter on College Hill; tempers flared, weapons were drawn, and in a violent exchange of gunfire, one person lost his life and another was seriously wounded. Arrests related to this event were made quickly and police continue their investigation.

The Cedar Falls Police cooperates closely with other area law enforcement agencies, including UNI Public Safety, to understand criminal dynamics and to adjust patrolling and monitoring accordingly. The city’s extensive network of public space surveillance cameras helps immensely, just as they did early Sunday morning to identify the assailants for speedy arrest. Additionally, the local bar and business owners are extremely cooperative and communicative with law enforcement to address any issues, including providing video from their installed cameras to resolve reported crimes.

While any act of violence is unfortunate – especially when it takes the life of a young person – my understanding is that this is an isolated incident. It’s a real challenge to predict and deter this kind of behavior when people from outside our community arrive with loaded weapons and hostile attitudes. The Cedar Falls Police will continue to engage with its counterparts in other Iowa cities and beyond to understand and counter criminal activity that impacts all our communities.

Just last month, I proclaimed 2022 as the Year of College Hill in order to promote this great neighborhood and to encourage continued development on the Hill. A gunfight, and the shots fired earlier that week in that neighborhood, are aberrations that don’t reflect College Hill, and are counter to our developmental vision of a vibrant and safe neighborhood. The City Council, City staff and I are committed to College Hill’s success, which includes the safety, security and well-being of everyone on the Hill for an evening, for a college experience, for a job or for a lifetime. We will remain engaged with UNI leadership and the College Hill Partnership to coordinate strategies to prevent, deter, and respond to crime in the area. Please continue to share your ideas and observations with the city council and me at [email protected] and [email protected].

My special thanks go to the officers from the CFPD and UNI DPS, who responded to the call that night — and to all in uniform who respond each and every day.”