On the afternoon of November 14, 2021, a burst of gunfire at Pat Klein Park in West Burlington, Iowa, left 18-year-old Owen Michael Laird dead. Police were called to the 600 block of Swan Street around 3:14 p.m. and found Laird with gunshot wounds; he was taken to the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Laird was originally from Maryland and was living in Burlington at the time.

Multiple agencies joined the investigation, including the West Burlington and Burlington police departments, the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. A 15-year-old juvenile was taken into custody in connection with the shooting and later identified as Philup Howard. In December 2021 a court decision was made to charge Howard as an adult, and he initially faced first-degree murder charges.

If anyone was in or near Pat Klein Park that afternoon or has information about Owen’s movements before the shooting, please come forward.