Investigators are treating the weekend shooting death of a young woman in Cedar Rapids as a homicide. Latasha Roundtree died at a hospital early Sunday morning after police say she was shot late Saturday night. No one has been arrested in the case. The 19-year-old Roundtree was the starting point guard as a senior last year for Cedar Rapids Washington.
Frank Howell is the girls basketball coach at Cedar Rapids Washington. “She had one of the most energetic and warm smiles that you’re ever going to see,” Howell said. “She was a member of the homecoming court. She was the type of kid who could mix in with kids from all walks of life. It makes it all the sadder because there were so many people who believed in her.”
Roundtree had accepted an offer to play basketball this year at William Penn University in Oskaloosa. However, Howell said Roundtree, who was going to redshirt this season, recently returned to Cedar Rapids. The choice to leave college disappointed Howell and Washington
Principal Ralph Plagman talked about Roundtree,”Tasha had a lot of potential. She was a very gifted athlete and had a wonderful personality. She could have gone on to do great things. Unfortunately, she faced many obstacles in her life.” Plagman said Roundtree did not have an easy up-bringing and many teachers treated her like family.
Her mother, Angela Roundtree, died in July 2006 when one of two cars drag racing along a Cedar Rapids’ street crashed into Roundtree’s car. Hundreds of Latasha Roundtree’s friends, teachers and some family held a candle light prayer vigil Sunday night.
By Jillian Petrus, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids