On a Tuesday morning, the first of November in 2016, Darrell Deshay Lanier, a 22-year-old Black male from Waterloo, Iowa, was walking home alone from his cousin's house, a daily routine for him. This predictable path made him an easy target for what police would later describe as a deliberate attack. At approximately 10:20 a.m., in the 400 block of Rhey Street, just three blocks from his own home, numerous gunshots echoed through the neighborhood.
Lanier was found on the ground, having been shot multiple times. Police later recovered about a dozen spent shell casings in an alley behind the 1800 block of Franklin Street, suggesting a hail of bullets had been unleashed.
Rushed to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital, Lanier remained unconscious as he underwent two surgeries in an attempt to save his life. For three days, he clung to life, but the internal injuries from the bullet wounds were too severe. In the early hours of Friday, November 4, 2016, Darrell Deshay Lanier succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. His death was officially ruled a homicide.
The Waterloo Police Department's investigation led them to believe that Lanier was specifically targeted and not the victim of a random act of violence or a stray bullet. Investigators determined that it appeared only one firearm was used in the attack. While the police have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in the case, Lanier's family holds the belief that he was targeted by individuals who were trying to hurt his friends. His aunt, who had raised him as her own son, stated her conviction that her nephew's attackers had been watching him and knew his daily routine, effectively setting him up. The case remains an unsolved homicide, with authorities continuing to seek information from the public.
