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Authorities withhold shooter's name



Authorities still are refusing to release the name of the locksmith who killed an evicted apartment tenant Saturday in Dyersville. When asked to cite the portion of the Iowa Code allowing the withholding of information, Dubuque County Attorney Ralph Potter said, "I don't have time to look that up."

At about 1:45 p.m. Saturday, a 48-year-old Dubuque man who was hired as an independent locksmith by Bonjour Estates fatally shot 24-year-old David V. Herman, of Dyersville, according to the Dubuque County Sheriff's Department.
The locksmith changed the locks on the apartment where Herman lived with his girlfriend, who had been evicted for not paying rent. Herman discovered the changed locks and confronted the locksmith, who was working on a neighboring apartment. A fight ensued, with punching and shoving. At some point, the locksmith was able to retreat to his car, where his .32-caliber pistol was hidden. Herman, who was not carrying a weapon, jumped into the locksmith's car. Another fight broke out, and sometime during the second altercation the locksmith shot Herman in the chest, according to the sheriff's department.

The locksmith voluntarily went to the police station until about 7:30 p.m., when he was released without charge. He had a permit for the weapon. 
During the weekend, Potter said he would not release the locksmith's name "because he hasn't been charged, and we don't think it's appropriate." 
He said the continuing investigation now centers around the justification to use deadly force and that charges still could be filed. However, community interest in the matter remains high. Locksmith Express owner Don Walling said his business received so many calls about the matter that his phone's batteries died.
"People are coming right out and asking if it's one of our guys, and others are wondering why a locksmith would be carrying a gun," he said. 
Walling said nobody at his business was connected with the shooting, although he said the line of work does present some predicaments. 
"What happened in this case, no, that's not common, but we have gotten into situations over the years where we have had to have police come with us to change the locks," he said. But carrying a weapon seems extreme, Walling said. "We don't carry them," he said. "I don't want my people out there carrying guns. We're not law enforcement."
However, Dubuque County Sheriff Ken Runde said it is common for locksmiths to request concealed weapons permits. The locksmith who was involved in Saturday's shooting had such a permit. 
"This is a constant fight in Iowa," Runde said. "We've got a problem in Iowa with sheriffs just giving these permits to anybody, but we are really careful here. I judge each request on an individual basis."
Iowa code has only one requirement for the permit.
"You have to have a reasonable need," Runde said. "That's it."
About 130 Dubuque County residents possess concealed weapon permits, and each was required to submit a written application form, have a discussion with Runde and undergo a background check. The process is repeated annually for each permit carrier.