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Local business owners react to downtown Davenport shooting

A Rock Island man has died after being shot downtown Davenport overnight, according to police.

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- A Rock Island man has died after being shot downtown Davenport overnight, according to police.

The yellow tape and flashing lights were a warning to people to keep out of a typically welcoming block in town.

"We're sort of a neighborhood down here. We take care of one another," says Dress for Success business owner Regina Haddock.

A baseball hat next to a cloth spattered by blood transformed the middle of E. 2nd Street into the scene of a violent crime.

"It's horribly sad when anybody loses their life," says Haddock.

The statement from Davenport police said that officers on scene "located one shooting victim," identified as 29-year-old Dimitrius Summers, who was taken to the hospital.  He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to the hospital.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, October 18th in the 300 block of East 2nd Street.

Rebecca Nicke started her day cleaning up caution tape outside her business, Abernathy's. Summers was killed right in front of her shop.

"It's just kind of strange honestly. Any kind of crime doesn't really happen in our area, specifically right in front of our place of business," says Nicke.

It's an area that symbolizes new growth and progress in the downtown with new businesses popping up every year.

"We've been a part of that excitement for the past four years, so we've seen some really positive change. And while I know this is startling or scary, I think we're still moving in a positive direction," says Nicke.

As police try to piece together what happened, 2nd Street neighbors know what they have to do.

"Violence can happen anywhere, and while we're terribly sad about the loss of any life that happens, we need to come together as a community," says Haddock.

Police are still trying to find out who shot Summers.

If you have any information, you are asked to call the Davenport Police Department at 563-326-6125.

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