On May 30, 2020, in Hiawatha, Iowa, 31-year-old Joshua Lathrop was killed during a large, rapid exchange of gunfire at Sunset Village Mobile Home Park. A verbal dispute escalated into a shootout in which 25 rounds were fired; four men, including Lathrop, were found with gunshot wounds. Lathrop was located in the middle of an intersection and pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found two gunshot wounds: one to the left chest that damaged his heart and lungs and was fatal, and a second that struck his hand and lodged in his forearm. Ballistics tied the fatal chest shot to Terrone Bell’s handgun and the arm wound to a weapon used by Truman Harris.

Investigators concluded Lathrop was the initial physical aggressor, reportedly heavily intoxicated and having struck Terrone Bell while knowing Bell was armed and preventing him from leaving. The Linn County Attorney decided not to file charges in Lathrop’s death, finding Terrone Bell acted in self-defense after being assaulted and seeing Truman Harris run toward him with a gun. Only Tyler Bell was later charged, with carrying a firearm without a legal permit.

If anyone witnessed the confrontation at that intersection or has additional information about the events that night, please share what is known.