In the early morning hours of Saturday, November 11, 2017, the life of 18-year-old Alex Michael Bullerman, a Caucasian male from Waterloo, Iowa, was tragically cut short in Cedar Falls. The events unfolded in the College Hill commercial district, an area adjacent to the University of Northern Iowa campus. Bullerman had been at a College Street establishment earlier in the evening.
After leaving, an altercation erupted in a parking lot, leading to gunfire.
Around 12:45 a.m., witnesses reported hearing several shots fired in the 2300 block of Olive Street. Responding officers discovered Bullerman in the backyard of an apartment building with a gunshot wound to the stomach area. He was immediately transported to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in Waterloo, where he succumbed to his injuries. In a final act of generosity, and in accordance with his wishes, doctors from the Iowa Donor Network worked for five hours to harvest his organs for donation.
The investigation into the shooting suggested it was not a random act of violence. Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson stated that it appeared the victims were targeted. He also indicated that both Bullerman and another man injured in the incident were known to be gang members. About an hour after the initial reports of gunfire, 18-year-old Dylan James Gehrke, also from Waterloo, arrived at a local hospital by private vehicle with a gunshot wound to his lower leg. He was treated for his injuries and subsequently released.
In the wake of the shooting, a multi-agency investigation was launched, involving the Cedar Falls Police Department, Waterloo Police Department, University of Northern Iowa Police, Black Hawk County Sheriff's deputies, and state troopers. While police did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the public, they increased their presence in the area. As part of their investigation, authorities sought the public's help in identifying a woman seen in the vicinity in connection with the homicide. There have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made in the case.
