Hunter/Lang
08/01/22
Iowa City Police have identified an armed subject who threatened staff at a downtown bar with a gun Sunday after getting kicked out of the establishment.
According to a release issued Sunday night, 18-year-old Alex Bwayonga reportedly pulled out a loaded .22 caliber GSG Firefly and pointed it at staff of El Ray’s Live and Dive on Iowa Avenue just after 12:30 Sunday morning after he was kicked out of the bar. The man fled the scene, and University of Iowa officials issued a Hawkalert to warn the campus area. Bwayonga was captured a short time later by Iowa City Police. The gun was found in his waistband, and was later found to be stolen out of Linn County.
Police say that Bwayonga, who refused to give his identity, fought with officers upon his arrest, and appeared to exhibit signs of a medical emergency. He was given attention at the scene and was evaluated at a local hospital before his subsequent arrest.
Bwayonga faces several charges as a result of the incident. They include Use of a Dangerous Weapon in the Commission of a Crime, Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon, Trafficking in Stolen Weapons Used in a Crime, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, and Interference With Official Acts. If convicted on all charges, Bwayonga faces a maximum of over 19 years in prison.