On Tuesday night, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) identified 25-year-old Cierra Lewis as the person who shot an Iowa City Police Department officer multiple times with a BB gun on Monday. Lewis has been charged with assault with a weapon on a peace officer and willfully causing a serious injury, according to a written statement from the DCI. Both offenses are felonies.
The officer involved has not been identified, but according to the DCI, the officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, in accordance with standard ICPD policy.
Lewis was injured when the officer discharged his firearm, after being shot multiple times with the BB gun, the ICPD reported Monday. Both Lewis and the officer were transported to a local hospital. Both have been released from the hospital, the DCI said Tuesday night. Lewis has been booked into the Johnson County jail.
The incident involving Lewis and the officer occurred on Monday afternoon, while the officer was investigating a report of shoplifting at the Gateway One Plaza, at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Highway 1. The officer approached Lewis, who was at a nearby bus stop in front of the Iowa City Transit building. That is where the altercation occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Following the shooting, the ICPD asked the DCI to investigate the incident, which is standard ICPD practice in the case of officer-involved shootings.
According to the DCI’s statement, the investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
No charges related to the original report of shoplifting have been filed yet.
