Randall “Randy” Scott Dawson, 52, was fatally shot inside his home on the night of December 24, 2014, in Waterloo, Iowa. The homicide occurred at his residence at 302 East 10th Street, located at the corner of East 10th and Lafayette Streets in Black Hawk County.
At approximately 9:25 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Waterloo police officers and paramedics were dispatched to the home after a neighbor reported hearing what sounded like five or six gunshots. Dawson had been shot multiple times. He was transported by Waterloo Fire and Rescue to UnityPoint Health–Allen Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
According to Daniel Trelka, Waterloo’s director of safety services, investigators were initially searching for one or two persons of interest in connection with the shooting. One individual was briefly detained in handcuffs and placed in a squad car shortly after officers arrived but was ultimately not arrested.
Neighbors described the incident as sudden and unsettling. Some reported hearing loud thuds rather than clear gunshots, while others said they were unaware anything had happened until police lights filled the street. Crime scene tape surrounded the home, and police maintained a presence at the residence through Christmas Day while investigators processed the scene.
Dawson had lived at the East 10th Street home with relatives for less than a year prior to his death. One neighbor told reporters that there had been recent early-morning arguments at the house, sometimes involving raised voices around 5:30 a.m. Still, many neighbors remembered Dawson as a kind and helpful man. One woman who lived nearby recalled how Dawson once stopped to help her change a flat tire without being asked.
The shooting left residents shaken, particularly because it occurred on Christmas Eve in what many considered a quiet neighborhood. One neighbor, who had lived in the area for 17 years, expressed concern over increasing violence and said she wished people could simply get along.
Nearly a year later, Dawson’s family spoke publicly about the loss. His daughter, Rachel McKinney, and his girlfriend, Jennifer Becker, described him as a jokester with a generous heart who would help anyone in need. Becker gave birth to their son six months after Dawson’s death and named him Randy Scott Dawson in his father’s honor. She said her son is doing well and that Dawson would have been proud.
Randall Scott Dawson was born on December 15, 1962, in Waterloo. He attended Hawkeye Community College and earned a welding certification. He worked in home improvement and property maintenance and was self-employed for much of his life.
He was survived by his children, grandchildren, siblings, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his father, a brother, a sister, and his grandparents.
Memorial services were held on December 27, 2014, in Waterloo, with burial at Poyner Cemetery.
Dawson’s death was classified as a homicide related to a robbery. The case left a lasting impact on his family and community, particularly due to the timing of the crime and the way he was remembered—as someone who gave freely of his time, energy, and compassion.
