Demetrius Cannon, Felony Gun Possession, Iowa 2020

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Felony Gunman Sentenced to 2 Years for Liquor Store Shootout

A brazen shootout at a Waterloo liquor store has landed a local felon behind bars. Demetrius Cannon, 35, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The shootout, which took place on September 25, 2020, at a liquor store in Waterloo, left Cannon with a gunshot wound to the ankle. He was rushed to the hospital and is currently confined to a wheelchair.

Cannon’s guilty plea on April 21, 2021, to the felony charge came after evidence showed he engaged in a shootout with Charles Ware at the liquor store. The scene was so chaotic that bullets flew through multiple nearby windows, leaving a trail of destruction.

Ware, a career criminal with 30 adult convictions, had previously been sentenced to 90 months in prison. Cannon, who has a history of drug trafficking, including a felony conviction in Wisconsin in 2003, will have to serve a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison term.

The case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, a program aimed at reducing violent crime by targeting the most violent offenders and partnering with local prevention and reentry programs.

The Waterloo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case, while Assistant United States Attorneys Jacob Schunk and Dan Chatham handled the prosecution. Cannon is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

Cannon’s sentencing has been met with relief from the community, who have been living in fear of the brazen display of gun violence. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.