A west Ames gun battle has led to several charges against a pair of men.
Gunfire was reported around 10:43 p.m. on June 1 in the 200 block of Franklin Ave. The Ames Police Department initially said two men were injured that night, but did not say what happened.
Ames police officers initially said they located two adult males with gunshot wounds when they arrived on the scene. The injuries to both parties were believed to be non-life-threatening.
The department announced a pair of arrests more than three weeks later on Tuesday, June 23.
Karl Flagg, 40, of Ames, was charged with attempted murder and control of a firearm while Quintin Evans, 31, of Ames, was charged with illegal possession of a firearm.
Court documents indicate that an altercation allegedly sparked a gun battle, with Flagg allegedly shooting Evans in the face, while Evans allegedly shot Flagg in the ankle.
Both men have a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 1.
40-year-old Ames man allegedly shot man who visited his home
Officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Franklin Ave., where a resident said a man that she and her husband, Karl Flagg, did not know came to the front door. The man was later identified as Evans.
Flagg reported having initial contact with Evans at the front door before allegedly retrieving a handgun and exiting a side door.
Gunfire was allegedly exchanged between the two, according to a criminal complaint, when Evans was shot in the face and Flagg was hit in the ankle.
Police said physical evidence indicates Flagg allegedly fired the first round at Evans near the side of the house, while Evans allegedly fired back while he was moving along Franklin Ave., away from the house, according to the complaint.
Court documents note that nearby video evidence shows Evans running near Franklin and Lincoln Way, while a “male consistent with Flagg” could be seen following him.
Flagg allegedly fired three more rounds at Evans while standing in the street.
A criminal investigation revealed that Evans was allegedly trying to visit a nearby house in the 200 block of Franklin, and he and Flagg did not know each other. No evidence of forced entry was found.
Man runs to nearby Ames Casey’s with gunshot wound
Video surveillance from neighboring businesses showed a man, later identified as Evans, running through the Franklin Ave. area with blood coming from his face and carrying a firearm. He allegedly entered the Casey’s on Franklin Ave. seeking assistance for the gunshot to his face, according to court documents.
Responding officers followed a trail of blood to an electrical box covered in blood, behind which a gray, “personally manufactured firearm” was found. The gun did not have a serial number.
Evans was later treated at an area hospital for a serious gunshot wound, which penetrated the face and lodged in the jaw.
Flagg is barred from possessing firearms because he was convicted for possession of a controlled substance in 2020 in Story County. He told officers the handgun belonged to his wife.
Evans is prohibited from possessing firearms due to having several prior felony convictions, including theft in Story County in 2016 and forgery in Polk and Dallas Counties in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Early June gunfire in Ames lands 2 in jail. What happened?
Reporting by Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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By Celia Brocker, Ames Tribune | USA TODAY Network
