On a crisp December afternoon in 2018, the life of Blake E. Schroder, a 23-year-old Caucasian male from Pella, Iowa, was tragically cut short in what was described as a hunting accident. The incident occurred on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at Robert's Creek Park, a recreational area north of Lake Red Rock in Marion County. Schroder was with a large hunting party during the second period of Iowa's shotgun deer season when the unfortunate event unfolded.
Around 4:30 p.m., emergency services,
including the Marion County Sheriff's Office and Pella Ambulance, responded to a call at the park. The initial investigation conducted by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources suggested that Schroder was fatally wounded by a single round believed to have been fired by a member of his own hunting group. He died from the injuries he sustained in the shooting. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny to officially determine the cause of death.
Blake, affectionately known as "Bubba," was a 2013 graduate of Pella Community High School and held an Associate's Degree in Agribusiness from Des Moines Area Community College. He was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for hunting, fishing, and boating. Those who knew him described him as an animal lover with a big heart who knew no strangers.
The investigation into the shooting was ongoing in the days following the incident. However, publicly available information does not indicate that any arrests were made or that any individual was charged in connection with Schroder's death. The incident was widely reported as an accidental shooting, and there is no information from online sources to suggest a suspect was ever named or that the case resulted in any criminal proceedings.
