MONTICELLO, IA – Tragedy struck behind a Fareway store in Monticello on Tuesday morning, resulting in one man’s death and another in custody, according to reports. The victim, identified as 48-year-old Aaron McAtee, an employee at the store, was shot near the loading dock in what investigators believe to be a random act of violence.
Following the shooting, McAtee was urgently airlifted to a nearby hospital, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away. Meanwhile, law enforcement located the suspect, 38-year-old Nathan Russell from East Dubuque, in Hopkinton. During the attempt to apprehend Russell, an officer discharged their weapon, injuring him.
Subsequently, Russell received medical treatment for his gunshot wounds. The Delaware County Deputy who fired the shot has been placed on incident leave, pending further investigation. The Monticello Fareway initially posted a statement on social media expressing their sorrow, stating that a member of the “Fareway Family” had fallen victim to a “senseless act of violence.” However, the store later removed the post.
In response to the ongoing shooting investigation, several school districts, including Monticello Community School District, Maquoketa Valley Schools, and the Anamosa Community School District, briefly placed their school buildings on lockdown until the suspect was apprehended. This precautionary measure was taken at the request of the Monticello Police Department, and classes continued as scheduled within the locked-down buildings.
Thankfully, the lockdowns have since been lifted, and normal school activities have resumed. Authorities have reassured the public that there is no ongoing threat related to the incident.