OELWEIN — What was supposedly a routine property sale in a Northern Iowa McDonald’s parking lot allegedly turned into an armed robbery attempt and gunfire, leaving two teenagers facing major felony charges and police hunting for additional suspects.
The Oelwein Police Department announced that criminal complaints have been filed against 16-year-old Jaqwon Jerome Ndimbe of Waterloo and 17-year-old Mason Lee Bushaw of Oelwein following an extensive investigation into the July 10, 2026, shooting.
Police have also submitted a juvenile referral against a 15-year-old from Hazleton.
Officers were sent to the McDonald’s parking lot in the 10 block of First Avenue SE at approximately 9:06 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of a confrontation and gunshots.
Investigators determined that several people had arranged to meet under the pretense of selling property.
Instead, police allege, the meeting erupted into an attempted armed robbery.
During the confrontation, a male allegedly approached a red sport utility vehicle, opened one of its doors and attempted to pull an occupant from inside. A handgun was displayed and at least one shot was fired as the vehicle fled the parking lot.
The armed suspect then escaped on foot.
No injuries were reported, but officers recovered a spent 9mm cartridge casing from the parking lot. The involved vehicle was seized and secured as evidence.
Police initially searched the surrounding neighborhood with assistance from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and Fayette Police Department. Officers used drones equipped with thermal-imaging technology, but the gunman was not immediately located.
The investigation did not stop there.
Oelwein police used license-plate recognition cameras, surveillance recordings, drones, thermal-imaging equipment and other electronic resources to track vehicles and identify possible suspects.
Those technological tools were combined with witness interviews, physical evidence and traditional police work to reconstruct the parking lot confrontation.
The investigation ultimately led authorities to Ndimbe, Bushaw and the unidentified 15-year-old.
Ndimbe is accused of:
Robbery in the first degree, a Class B felony;
Intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony;
Assault while participating in a felony, a Class D felony;
Going armed with intent, a Class D felony; and
Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, a Class D felony.
Bushaw is charged with first-degree robbery, a Class B felony.
Police submitted a juvenile referral accusing the 15-year-old Hazleton youth of first-degree robbery.
First-degree robbery is one of Iowa’s most serious criminal charges. A Class B felony is generally punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
Although all three suspects are younger than 18, police released the names of Ndimbe and Bushaw under an Iowa law allowing the identification of juveniles accused of conduct that would amount to a forcible felony if committed by an adult.
The 15-year-old’s name was withheld.
Police said arrest warrants have been requested for Ndimbe and Bushaw. The announcement did not indicate that either teenager had yet been taken into custody.
Investigators are also examining the actions of additional people believed to have been involved. More arrest warrants and charges could follow as police continue untangling the planned meeting and violent confrontation.
The Oelwein Police Department was assisted by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette Police Department, Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office, Fairbank Police Department and Waterloo Police Department.
The filing of charges, request for an arrest warrant or submission of a juvenile referral is not evidence of guilt. All accused persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through the appropriate court proceedings.