Five people, including three University of Iowa students, were injured in Iowa City after shots were fired during a fight at the downtown pedestrian plaza early Sunday, according to the city. No arrests have been made.
“This senseless act of violence has devastated the university community and our state,” Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa said in a statement.
At 1:46 a.m., police officers responded to reports of a fight by the plaza, a few blocks away from the university’s main library, according to a statement posted on the city’s website.
As officers arrived on scene, gunshots were heard and, shortly thereafter, multiple victims were taken to local hospitals, the statement said. One victim is in critical condition, while four are stable, according to the city.
City officials posted images of five persons of interest that show young men in athletic attire — a Nike jumpsuit, sweatpants and sweaters — in a commercial area. Officials have asked the public to help identify them and have offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.
“Early today, a shooting in downtown Iowa City injured three University of Iowa students,” University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement. “Iowa City Police are investigating, with the full support of University of Iowa Police.”
The university, which enrolled more than 23,000 undergraduate students in fall 2025, is embedded throughout Iowa City. Campus buildings appear on both sides of the meandering Iowa River.
Support resources, including counseling services and the campus therapy dog, were made available Sunday for students and staff members, according to the university.
Videos on social media show about 100 college-age students gathered at the plaza, known locally as the Ped Mall. Small fights can be seen breaking out in the crowd. Young men appear to punch, kick and grapple with one another, as onlookers record the clash on their phones.
In one video, the crowd disperses. The footage depicts bystanders sprinting from the area as the scene turns chaotic.
The downtown area is popular with young people because of the transit offerings, said RaQuishia Harrington, the associate director of Neighborhood Centers, an organization that works with youth and families.
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