A gathering to celebrate a life tragically ended in the loss of two more in the early morning hours of June 16, 2020, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Tyrone Cunningham, a 47-year-old Black male, was caught in the crossfire of a violent shootout and lost his life. The incident unfolded in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood, where a dispute between two armed groups escalated into a hail of bullets.
Cunningham, along with 25-year-old Jamael Cox, were unintended victims in the deadly exchange.
Two women were also wounded in the shooting but survived their injuries. In the chaos that erupted, Cunningham was struck by gunfire but managed to get into his vehicle and drive away from the immediate scene. However, his attempt to escape was short-lived as he lost consciousness from his injuries and crashed his vehicle at the intersection of South 15th Street and Sixth Avenue South. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Cox was discovered unresponsive in the roadway where the shooting occurred.
A thorough investigation that spanned five months and involved numerous law enforcement agencies led to the identification and arrest of five individuals. Michael J. Shivers, 55, of Eagle Grove, James C. Davis Jr., 35, of Fort Dodge, Michael J. Wells, 33, of Fort Dodge, Darrell L. Jones, 23, of Fort Dodge, and Jeremiha R. Hatten, 22, of Fort Dodge, were all charged with two counts of second-degree murder. All but Hatten also faced a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In October 2021, Michael J. Shivers was found guilty by a Webster County jury on both counts of second-degree murder for his role in the deaths of Cunningham and Cox. Testimony during the trial indicated that Shivers initiated the gunfire. He was subsequently sentenced to a lengthy prison term. The other men charged in connection with the fatal shooting also faced the judicial process for their alleged parts in the incident that cut short the lives of two innocent men.
