Hundreds of Waterloo residents are joining together in an effort to end a string of recent shooting incidents in the city, the latest of which claimed the life of a teenage girl.
A diverse group of about 200 local residents stood in solidarity with their fellow neighbors Sunday night, as they marched through streets of Waterloo calling for an end to the violence that is giving the city a bad reputation.
The latest incident occurred Friday night, when 15-year-old Jykeria Coffer was shot and killed by her younger brother. Waterloo police arrested 14-year-old Diyrun Coffer shortly after the fatal shooting. He’s charged with involuntary manslaughter, which indicates the shooting death was accidental. Diyrun Coffer is also charged with first-degree burglary and trafficking stolen weapons.
Earlier Friday, he allegedly stole the handgun that was used in the fatal shooting. Court records show police also arrested a second 14-year-old on a first-degree burglary charge in connection with the earlier theft. Jykeria Coffer is the second teenage girl shot to death in Waterloo since October. Sunday night’s march in Waterloo started at a church and ended at a local park, where six pastors spoke at a peace rally. The peace march was the first of eight that are planned in the city over the next several weeks.
(Reporting by Elwin Huffman, KOEL, Oelwein)