In the quiet town of Glenwood, Iowa, a peaceful Wednesday evening was shattered by a horrific sequence of events that left a community reeling. On August 6, 2025, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Mills County Emergency Communication Center received a flood of frantic 911 calls reporting gunshots in the 400 block of North Grove Street. What unfolded in the moments that followed would mark one of the darkest nights in this small town’s history—a tale of violence, loss, and a neighborhood forever changed.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has identified the victims as Brandon Oman, 38, and his wife, Stevie Oman, 35, a beloved couple whose lives were tragically cut short. Brandon was pronounced dead at the scene, his body found outside a home engulfed in flames. Stevie, gravely wounded, was rushed to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where she succumbed to her injuries. The suspect, 71-year-old Dennis Burnell, a resident of 405 North Grove Street, has been named as the individual responsible for their deaths. Burnell, now in critical condition, was apprehended as he staggered out of his burning home, the very place where an explosion and fire followed the deadly shooting.
The incident began with what authorities describe as an “interpersonal dispute” between neighbors, a simmering tension that had plagued the quiet street for some time. Neighbors reported that Burnell, known for his hostility, frequently clashed with those around him, often calling the police for trivial reasons. “Dennis would call the cops for no reason on everybody,” one resident told KETV, painting a picture of a man whose contentious nature had long unsettled the community. On that fateful evening, this simmering conflict erupted into unimaginable violence.
Antawn Hunt, a local resident, was unloading groceries from his car when he heard yelling and screaming from around the corner. Initially dismissing it as a heated argument, he was jolted by the unmistakable sound of gunfire. “Something told me to turn around and look,” Hunt recounted to WOWT, his voice heavy with shock. “I kept hearing those shots.” As the chaos unfolded, neighbors watched in horror as emergency responders swarmed the scene. The house at 405 North Grove Street, Burnell’s residence, was consumed by flames following a loud explosion, its charred remains now a haunting reminder of the tragedy.
Glenwood Police Chief Eric Johansen, speaking at a late-night press conference, described the rapid response of law enforcement, crediting the collaboration of the Glenwood Police Department, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa State Patrol. Many of these first responders were attending a community event just blocks away at the downtown square when the calls came in, allowing them to converge on the scene with remarkable speed. “It was a group effort to contain this situation quickly and efficiently,” Johansen said, his tone somber yet resolute.
As police arrived, they found Brandon and Stevie Oman outside the burning home, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Burnell, emerging from the inferno he allegedly set, was taken into custody, his body wracked with severe burns. Witnesses described a chaotic scene: a police officer with a rifle poised, waiting for Burnell to exit the blazing house, and the deafening explosion that rocked the neighborhood. “The whole wall blew out,” one neighbor recalled, speculating that Burnell may have detonated a bomb of some kind.
The aftermath has left Glenwood in a state of collective grief and disbelief. “It doesn’t feel real,” wrote Christopher German on Facebook, echoing the sentiments of many. Another resident, mourning the loss of Stevie and Brandon, shared, “Losing someone so suddenly and violently is devastating. My heart is with their family and everyone who knew and loved them. You’ll never be forgotten. Rest easy, friends.”
The investigation, supported by the Iowa DCI and the State Fire Marshal Division, continues to unravel the circumstances that led to this tragedy. Authorities have confirmed that the shooting and subsequent fire are being treated as connected incidents, with the explosion believed to have sparked the blaze that gutted Burnell’s home. Barricades along Elm Street and North Myrtle Street, near 4th and 5th Streets, were cleared by Thursday morning, but the emotional scars on this tight-knit community will take far longer to heal.
Glenwood’s mayor issued a statement thanking law enforcement for their swift action and offering condolences to the Oman family, whose loss has left an indelible mark on the town. As investigators piece together the final moments of that harrowing night, they urge anyone with information to come forward, contacting the Glenwood Police Department at 712-527-4844.
In a town of just 5,000, where neighbors are more like family, the deaths of Brandon and Stevie Oman have cast a long shadow. The charred remains of the house on North Grove Street stand as a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the devastating consequences of unresolved conflict. For now, Glenwood mourns, holding tight to memories of two lives lost too soon, while grappling with the question that lingers in every heart: how did it come to this?
