The 27-year-old man accused of opening fire on strangers along a six-mile stretch of Interstate 35 south of Des Moines is being held on a $1 million bond after a rampage that left one woman wounded and shut down the highway for hours. Andrew Darrick Tanaka is being held in the Warren County Jail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 16, according to WHO 13, and he faces four counts of attempted murder along with a weapons intimidation charge tied to the Monday afternoon shooting spree.
The spree began just after 3:31 p.m. on Monday, when multiple 911 calls reported a shooting. The shooting started near mile marker 56 by the Bevington exit, roughly 15 miles south of the Des Moines metro, as Radio Iowa reported.
According to the New York Post, Tanaka was driving a black Chevrolet Equinox when a black BMW passed him after itself passing a Subaru Outback on the interstate. Tanaka allegedly fired at least two rounds through the Subaru's driver-side window, striking the driver in her left shoulder, then fired another round through the BMW's driver-side window. He went on to rear-end a gray Nissan Altima carrying two people, and when the Altima's occupants stopped to check on him, Tanaka reportedly got out of his vehicle with a handgun and fired at least one round into the Nissan's windshield, per the same report.
Suspect Allegedly Told Officers He ‘Had to Kill People Today’
Tanaka's SUV traveled approximately six miles before it became disabled near mile marker 62, where officers took him into custody without further incident, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Officers arriving on scene found the wounded woman along with several vehicles apparently struck by gunfire, the New York Post reported, and located Tanaka on the highway shoulder still holding a handgun before he was taken into custody without further incident. Per the criminal complaint cited by the New York Post, Tanaka allegedly told law enforcement that he “had to kill people today.”
The wounded driver was taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear life-threatening, according to the same report. Responding units included deputies from the Warren County Sheriff's Office, officers from the West Des Moines Police Department, and state troopers, as noted by 930 WFMD. The Warren County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are continuing to investigate the shootings, as reported by Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Highway Shut Down for Hours, Investigators Seek Tips
The investigation and crime scene processing forced the closure of northbound I-35 for about eight hours through the afternoon and evening of the shooting, according to Radio Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Safety has asked anyone with information or witness statements about the shootings to contact the Warren County Sheriff's Office at 515-690-9216.
Court filings show Tanaka faces four counts of attempted murder according to Newsradio 1040 WHO, in addition to a charge of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon. Under Iowa Code § 707.11, Attempted Murder is a Class B felony carrying up to 25 years in prison per count. The additional Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon charge is a Class C felony under Iowa Code § 708.6, punishable by up to 10 years in state prison.
Tanaka was booked into the Warren County Jail on the attempted murder counts, and his preliminary hearing is set for October 16. Investigators have not publicly detailed a motive for the shooting spree, and the case remains under active investigation by both county and state authorities.
