Gunshots at motel result in managers’ arrest

Michael and Charity Ryan, the managers of the Custom Stay Motel in Mt. Pleasant, were arrested on charges of possession of firearms. Both Ryans are felons and are not allowed to possess firearms.

The arrest came after Mt. Pleasant police responded to calls about gunshots at the motel Thursday evening, March 23. Witnesses heard three to four gunshots, and officers found shell casings in the parking lot and near the motel office.

Officers searched Ryan's residence and office and found the weapon matching the shell casings. Michael Ryan was charged with felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony. Charity Ryan was charged with felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony, in addition to two counts of assault on a police officer, a serious misdemeanor.

The investigation is ongoing, so the Mt. Pleasant Police Department would not comment on what was shot or what was hit. Chief Lyle Murray said no one was injured.

The Mt. Pleasant Police Department was assisted by the Henry County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol, as well as numerous residents. Both Michael and Charity Ryan are being held in the Henry County Jail. Further charges are expected, Murray said.