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Police seek 17-year-old for attempted murder in shooting near University of Iowa, authorities say

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police are seeking a 17-year-old on attempted murder charges following a shooting early Sunday in a nightlife district near the University of Iowa campus, authorities said Wednesday.

Five people were treated for gunshot wounds, including three University of Iowa students. One woman remained in critical condition Wednesday after sustaining a life-threatening injury to her head, Iowa City Police Chief Dustin Liston said.

Officials said an arrest warrant was issued for the 17-year-old who was allegedly engaged in the fight, adding that reports indicate as many as 40 people may have been involved. Officers had been dispatched to the fight and arrived within 45 seconds, Liston said.

After walking away from the other participants, the suspect allegedly fired six times into the crowded pedestrian area, Liston said. Iowa City’s downtown pedestrian mall is lined with shops, bars and restaurants.

The minor from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will initially be charged as an adult, as is required by Iowa law for forcible felony charges against an individual aged 16 or older, said Rachel Zimmermann Smith, Johnson County attorney.

The charges, which include five counts of attempted murder, will be brought when the suspect is apprehended, she said.

Liston said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected. About three dozen search warrants have already been executed.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to hold those responsible fully accountable,” he said, adding that anyone with information on the incident or the suspect are encouraged to come forward.

The five victims were not “targets of the shooting,” Liston said. “We have no reason to believe they were otherwise affiliated with the fight that preceded the shooting.”

Liston also provided details about the other four victims’ injuries, including one struck in the arm and chest, two struck in one or both legs and one in the side of their stomach. One is still hospitalized in stable condition and three have been released, he said.

Ohio State trustees OK $100M settlement with hundreds of former students abused by doctor

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State University agreed Wednesday to pay approximately $100 million to settle legal claims from hundreds of former student athletes who said they were sexually abused decades ago by a doctor at the university. The school has fought lawsuits in federal court since 2018 brought by former student athletes against the university over its failure to stop abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss. Strauss worked at the school from 1978 to 1998 and also ran an off-campus clinic. He died in 2005. During a meeting Wednesday, the school's Board of Trustees approved a preliminary agreement with all but one of the 280 survivors with claims still involved in pending litigation. Once finalized, the settlement could mark the end of a lengthy legal battle and close a painful chapter in the school's history. “The survivors of the Strauss abuse are all Buckeyes, will always be a part of our family and our community, and I firmly believe that,” the school's president, Ravi Bellamkonda, said during the meeting. “We continue to be very grateful to them for their courage in coming forward, and reaching a final resolution is very important to us and is an important step forward.”
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