Missing Man Found Dead

SALYERS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 3/31/2016 at 13:25:27

The Daily Iowan
Feb. 23, 2012

OFFICIALS: MAN WHO SET OFF HAWKALERT LATER FOUIND DEAD

The search for an armed man who triggered a HawkAlert on Wednesday morning ended when he was found dead later in the day in Washington County.

The unnamed 64 year-old was apparently reported missing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, and police officials were told he left his residence at 8 a.m. that day, according to a release.

The incident is being investigated as a suicide by the Washington police and the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Prior to officials' location of the suspect, Iowa City police Sgt. Denise Brotherton said, the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center received the first call around 8 a.m. Wednesday, telling police officials to lookout for a missing man. Fewer than two hours later, Washington County officials said the man was possibly armed and near Iowa City's City Park.

Chuck Green, the assistant vice president for the UI police, said university police were informed of the gunman at approximately 10 a.m. and sent out the HawkAlert within five minutes of receiving the information.

The HawkAlert advised people to "remain indoors and away from the area."

A second HawkAlert was released around 11 a.m., informing the university that both Iowa City and UI police had searched for the suspect but were unsuccessful.

Finally, around noon Wednesday, Brotherton said in an email she "just heard on radio that the suspect from Washington [County they] were looking for in City Park has been located."

Four Iowa City School District schools--Longfellow Elementary, Mann Elementary, Shimek Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary--were under a soft lockdown for a short amount of time Wednesday after hearing information about the alert.

Superintendent Steve Murley said officials responded accordingly.

"Our lockdown was very short, but we like to air on the side of caution," Murley said.

Green said his department only received a handful of calls concerning the incident on Wednesday.