Mother of two men in Cedar Rapids shooting, one arrested and one killed, speaks out

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - “I’m very, very, very devastated. I’m so emotional,” said Kenesha Morrow, mother of Maurice Brown and Cameron Leonard.

Brown was killed and Leonard arrested after a shooting in Cedar Rapids on October 5.

Court documents say it all started when Brown, Leonard’s brother, placed a food delivery order. A man name Myron Snyder delivered it. Documents say Brown and Snyder knew each other and had a previous conflict. There was a fight between Snyder and the two brothers. Court documents say all three were involved in a shootout that left Brown and Snyder dead and Leonard hurt.

Leonard faces five charges, including first degree murder and going armed with intent. Police say he shot Snyder six times.

“I’m just so hurt about the whole thing,” said Morrow.

Morrow said she knew her sons were involved in violence that night and that at least one was carrying a gun.

The criminal complaint said a “physical altercation” broke out between Brown and Snyder, with Leonard standing by. The complaint said Snyder “tried to leave the scene by backing up out of his parking spot.”

“They’re not criminals. There was not—they were not criminals,” said Morrow.

“In my eyes, it is self-defense,” said Jazmin Sprague. She said Brown was a friend who had been like a brother to her.

“I don’t know why they were fighting. I’ve heard of— previous, I’ve heard it was over his little sister. Now, like I said, Maurice is somebody who is going to protect his family. He’s going to protect himself, he’s going to stand up for what he believes in,” said Sprague.

Those who knew Brown are heartbroken now that he’s gone.

“I’m hurt. I can’t sleep at night. I wake up in three o’clock in the morning, jumping up out of my sleep. I feel— you feel him with you,” said Sprague.

These women also said they don’t feel they’re allowed to grieve in peace.

“It’s a sad situation for both families. And everybody is grieving right now. So I feel the extra drama, the retaliation, the slick Facebook posts, the whatever it is— is unnecessary,” said Sprague.

“I want people to understand that it’s two sides or three sides—it’s more than one side to the story,” said Morrow.

The family said they’ll never fully understand what happened on October 5.

“Nobody really knows how it went besides God. God know how it went. Nobody knows the full story. I don’t care what footage is there,” said Sprague. “It’s up to God at the end of the day.”

Morrow said she’s not trying to compete with others’ pain. She just wants them to know that she feels pain, too.

“I’m all messed up about the whole situation that I had to lose my son. She lost a son too. And I lost my son,” said Morrow. “I miss my son crazy.”

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