On the late afternoon of September 10, 2025, a shooting on the 100 block of 27th Street NE on Cedar Rapids’ northeast side left 23-year-old Dedric Arnold fatally wounded. The shooting occurred about 4:20 p.m.; another person was also shot and injured as they approached a residence. A nearby elementary school was briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution. Arnold was taken to a local hospital where he died.

Dedric is remembered by family as goofy and fun-loving, a devoted father whose infectious smile brightened rooms. His wife, parents and siblings are mourning, and his mother has publicly called for peace and an end to gun violence. Loved ones held a vigil at the shooting site, lighting candles and arranging flowers to spell his name.

The Cedar Rapids Police Department announced an arrest the morning of September 11, 2025. Twenty-three-year-old Kaleek Lewis was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, going armed with intent and use of a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime. Anyone who knew Dedric or has information about the shooting is asked to come forward.