Iowa Community in Shock Over Slaying of Its Mayor

Flags were lowered to half-staff Thursday as a man who fought City Hall over a sewer flooding his home faced charges that he opened fire on a City Council meeting, killing the mayor and wounding two councilors.

Ralph Orin Davis, 69, was ordered held on $700,000 bond Thursday on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Davis had complained twice previously to the council and sought reimbursement for water damage to his basement, city officials said. He walked into the council chamber Wednesday night and began shooting a pistol, authorities said.

Edward King, mayor of this southeastern Iowa city of 7,300 people, was shot once in the head. He was pronounced dead at University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Councilors JoAnn E. Sankey, 39, and Ronald Lee Dupree, 44, also were taken to the hospital. Sankey was in critical condition with a head wound and two chest wounds; Dupree was in serious but stable condition with wounds in the head, neck and arm, a spokesman said.

Davis, handcuffed and shackled at the waist, wore orange jail coveralls at his court appearance Thursday. He made no plea and said he did not want a court-appointed lawyer immediately. Magistrate David McCoid scheduled another hearing for next Friday.

Flags at City Hall were lowered to half-staff Thursday and city offices were closed as word of the shootings spread.

“The whole town’s in shock,” said John Sloca, who lives across an alley from Davis. “It’s all people are talking about.”

Dave Heaton, a neighbor of Davis, said he never felt comfortable around the man. “The guy was always in a stew,” Heaton said Thursday. “You could hear him over there. He would sit over there and talk with his dog.”