Police say a woman leaving an eastern Iowa grocery store Tuesday afternoon was attacked and killed in the parking lot by a man who wounded himself.
Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty told KCRG-TV the stabbing occurred around 4 p.m. in front of several shoppers outside a Hy-Vee store in Marion. “This is terrible and our hearts go out to the families involved in this,” Daugherty said. “This is something that is going to affect a lot of people because there were witnesses to this, and I’m sure this will affect them for a long time.”
The victim was identified as 29-year-old Lynnsey Donald of Marion. Her assailant was identified as 32-year-old Nicholas Luerkens of Cedar Rapids. They knew each other, according to Daugherty, but investigators are not yet sure of their exact relationship. Authorities recovered the weapon.
Marion resident Gary Barrows told KCRG he stopped at the Hy-Vee to get a coffee shortly before the attack. “I came out and there was all kinds of people behind my vehicle and I get up to my vehicle and there was a lady right behind it on the ground bleeding,” Barrows said. Luerkens was also bleeding from what police believe to be non-life-threatening injuries that were self-inflicted. He was taken to a Cedar Rapids hospital.
Police have not yet filed charges in the case.