The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation reported that a man identified as Dennis Burnell, 71, opened fire on his neighbors, Brandon Oman, 38, and his wife, Stevie Oman, 35, in front of their home after an argument that has not yet been resolved.

The Omans lived directly across the street from Burnell. Both were the parents of a young daughter, whose custody and well-being are now the focus of concern for family members and local authorities, AP reported.

An explosion and a fire after the shots

Witnesses said that moments after the shots were fired, a loud explosion was heard in Burnell's home. When police arrived on the scene, they found the building completely engulfed in flames.

Burnell managed to get out of the house, but suffered severe burns. He was transferred to the University of Kansas Medical Center Burn Unit, where he died two days later, on Friday afternoon.

Glenwood Police Chief Eric Johansen confirmed that Burnell had been the subject of previous complaints about problems with his neighbors. Court documents reveal that in August 2024, he was found guilty of third-degree harassment against another resident in the area and received a fine of more than $100.

Although specific details of the dispute that led to the shooting have not been revealed, authorities have not ruled out that it was a prolonged neighborhood conflict that escalated to a deadly outcome.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is working in coordination with local police to reconstruct the exact sequence of events and determine what caused the explosion at the attacker's home.

Testimony is also being collected from neighbors to learn the background of the tensions in the Glenwood area, a town of just over 5,000 residents in southwest Iowa