Crime scene tape and several sirens could be seen Tuesday night outside of RMC Cinemas in Waterloo, with police confirming an altercation took place in the parking lot at 113 Plaza Drive.

Charges were filed Thursday against a Waterloo man for shooting and injuring another man in the incident.

“There’s nothing active and (there’s) no threat to the public,” Waterloo Police Chief Dane Luke told the Republic-Times shortly after the shooting. “There was an altercation between two people and we have the suspect in custody.”

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:20 p.m. and involved “two young adults who know each other,” Luke said, stressing that no serious injuries were sustained.

An Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services unit was dispatched to the scene to assist the Waterloo Police Department with its investigation into the incident.

On Thursday, Brenndan M. Pietlukiewicz, 21, of Waterloo, was charged in Monroe County Circuit Court with aggravated battery/discharge firearm, a Class X felony, and aggravated discharge of a firearm (occupied vehicle), a Class 1 felony, for his role in the incident.

Court information alleges that “while committing a battery to Kyle Johnson,” Pietlukiewicz discharged a firearm into Johnson’s leg.

The WPD said it responded to the cinema following a report of shots fired.

Upon arrival, 20-year-old male, identified as Johnson, was located in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his leg. An officer applied a tourniquet above the wound, and Johnson was later transported by ambulance to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

An investigation was immediately launched as officers from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and Valmeyer Police Department arrived to assist.

Pietlukiewicz turned himself in at the Waterloo police station a short time later, where he was taken into custody. The firearm utilized in this incident was subsequently recovered.

Officers determined this was an isolated incident between acquaintances and there was no danger to the public.

During a pretrial detention hearing Friday afternoon, Monroe County Assistant State’s Attorney Marcus Wade argued Pietlukiewicz poses a threat to the community due to the nature of the offense and his access to weapons, citing exhibits submitted as evidence showing social media postings of Pietlukiewicz with a number of weapons, including assault-style rifles with extended magazines.

Wade also claimed Pietlukiewicz left the theater with the intent to retrieve the pistol used in the incident, adding he should not have a pistol, as he does not have a valid FOID card.

Attorney Benjamin Grohmann, serving as the public defender for Pietlukiewicz, claimed Pietlukiewicz left the theater to get his girlfriend’s charge card from a vehicle to purchase concessions.

He also claimed Johnson assaulted Pietlukiewicz in the theater, adding that Johnson initiated the confrontation in the parking lot which resulted in the shooting.

Grohmann also noted Pietlukiewicz does not have a prior criminal record.

Conversely, Grohmann outlined Johnson’s recent criminal history.

Johnson has been charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors this year as well as felony charges from a 2024 incident, many of which involve Pietlukiewicz’s current girlfriend – Johnson’s ex-girlfriend.

Earlier this year, Johnson was charged with two counts of electronic harrassment (threatening to kill) involving Pietlukiewicz’s girlfriend in addition to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for threatening a male victim with a knife.

Those charges were dismissed in a plea deal for a 2024 incident, also involving Pietlukiewicz’s girlfriend, during which Johnson was charged with aggravated battery (strangulation) and unlawful restraint in addition to aggravated battery of a police officer and aggravated fleeing.

The two aggravated battery charges and unlawful restraint charges were also dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea to aggravated fleeing.

Johnson was sentenced to 142 days in Monroe County Jail with credit given for 142 days time served and was required to obtain an alcohol/substance abuse and mental health evaluation and treatment.

Grohmann claimed Pietlukiewicz was acting in self defense.

Monroe County Resident Judge Chris Hitzemann found that Pietlukiewicz did present a real threat to Johnson and ordered him to be detained pending a trial in the matter.