In the early morning hours of September 3, 2017, a street corner in Fort Dodge, Iowa, became the scene of a fatal encounter for 32-year-old Caucasian male, Shane Michael Wessels. A street fight erupted at the intersection of 10th Avenue Southwest and 10th Street Southwest, during which Wessels was assaulted by several individuals. Witnesses later described him being struck with a glass liquor bottle, a billy club, and hit with a stun gun.
The altercation escalated dramatically when Levi Gibbs III became involved.
The conflict had turned into a melee when Gibbs, then 27, initiated a physical confrontation with Wessels. As the fight continued, Gibbs retrieved a gun from his vehicle. By this point, Wessels had reportedly indicated he was done fighting and was backing away. However, Gibbs returned and fired a single shot that struck Wessels. The bullet entered his right arm, pierced his heart and lungs, and ultimately lodged in his left chest, causing his death within minutes. After Wessels collapsed, Gibbs stood over him and attempted to fire again, but the gun jammed. He then struck Wessels with the weapon before fleeing the scene. Wessels was found unresponsive in the roadway and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation quickly centered on Levi Gibbs III as the primary suspect, aided by a 911 caller who identified him as the shooter and surveillance footage from a pole-mounted camera that captured the incident. A warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Gibbs, who was considered armed and dangerous. He was later apprehended and stood trial for the murder of Shane Wessels.
During the trial, the prosecution and defense agreed that Gibbs had fired the fatal shot. The defense argued that Gibbs acted in defense of his sister, whom they claimed Wessels had assaulted, breaking her nose. However, prosecutors maintained that Gibbs was the aggressor who initiated the fight. In July 2018, a Webster County jury convicted Levi Gibbs III of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 50 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 35 years to be served before becoming eligible for parole. An appeal of his conviction was later denied by the Iowa Supreme Court.
