Police in Waterloo, Iowa are investigating the mysterious shooting death of a former high school softball star who grew up in the Kansas City area.
Micalla Rettinger, 25, was driving home in a wooded, suburban area around 2:30 Sunday morning when a bullet was fired into her vehicle, striking her in the neck. She was able to stop the vehicle without crashing, and died at a hospital. Rettinger's boyfriend was one of two passengers in the vehicle. He was injured, but is expected to survive. The other passenger was not hurt.
Police do not believe Rettinger was intentionally targeted.
Rettinger was an all-state softball player, who also played basketball at Park Hill High School. She went on to become a four-year starter in the outfield for the University of Northern Iowa. Known as "KK" to her teammates, Rettinger earned second-team all-conference honors her junior and senior seasons, according to the school's athletics website.Rettinger's father told the Des Moines Register his daughter made the world a better place, and that she would have gone on to become a great dentist.
UNI head softball coach Ryan Jacobs described himself as devastated to hear the news of Rettinger's death. A moment of silence will be observed before Tuesday evening's game against the University of Iowa.
