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An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting at a Des Moines, Iowa, urban youth nonprofit that killed two students and injured a teacher.
Police say the teen has been identified as college student Preston Walls and has been charged with two counts of murder and one attempted murder.
Walls was under police custody on gun charges and had an ankle bracelet removed 16 minutes before going to the school with a gun and confronting the two student victims.
Two teenagers – an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old man – were killed in the attack.
Walls and the two students all had gang ties and were in hostile gangs.
The injured man has been identified as the program’s founder – 49-year-old William Holmes – a rapper who left a life of violence and dedicated himself to helping young people in Des Moines.
In a statement, Sergeant Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department said the shooting is a targeted incident.
But added that the motive for the shooting was unknown.
What we know so far.
Follow for the latest updates.
Police identify the suspect in the shooting
03:56 , Sravasti Dasgupta
An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting at a Des Moines in Iowa.
Police say the teen has been identified as college student Preston Walls and has been charged with two counts of murder and one attempted murder.
Walls was under police custody on gun charges and had an ankle bracelet removed 16 minutes before going to the school with a gun and confronting the two student victims.
According to police, Walls and the two students all had gang ties and were in opposing gangs.
Injured victim of shooting in Des Moines is founder of youth center
03:00 , Josh Marcus
Will Keeps, the rapper and activist who founded the Starts Right Here youth center where the Des Moines shooting took place, was injured in the violence, KCCI reports.
Mr. Keeps, who grew up with gang violence in Chicago, started the program as a safe haven for at-risk youth.
Mayor calls gun violence a ‘growing and alarming phenomenon’
02:00 , Josh Marcus
Des Moines, Iowa, has experienced a shocking spate of violence, including a Monday afternoon shooting at a youth center, according to local officials.
“This is a growing and alarming phenomenon in our country and we have seen it too many times in the past and today in the city of Des Moines,” Mayor Frank Cownie said at a city council meeting Monday.
The city is experiencing a “surge of violence,” according to the Des Moines Registry.
At least 10 murders have been committed since December, including the shooting by police of a 16-year-old, the paper said.
Police look at ‘most serious allegations’ in Des Moines shooting
01:40 , Josh Marcus
Police have taken into custody three suspects in connection with a Monday shooting at a youth center in Des Moines, Iowa.
“We have two deaths, so we’re looking at the most serious charges,” said police sgt. Paul Parisek told UKTN.
Shooting victim includes activist with ties to top Iowa officials
01:20 , Josh Marcus
One of the victims of Monday’s violence in Des Moines is activist Will Keeps, founder of the Starts Right Here center where the shooting took place.
Mr. Keeps, a rapper and activist, received approval for his work from Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, among others.
Last year, Mr. Keeps shared a photo on LinkedIn of the governor visiting his home.
Founder youth center injured in shooting: mayor
01:00 , Josh Marcus
Two youths were killed and one person injured in a shooting at a youth center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday.
According to Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, the injured is Will Keeps, the rapper and activist who founded the program.
Mr Keeps was taken to hospital in serious condition and underwent surgery, KCCI reports.
“The police can’t do everything,” says one officer after the Des Moines shooting
00:40 , Josh Marcus
It’s a familiar scene across America: A shooting occurs and a community begins to search for answers.
Des Moines Police Sergeant Paul Parizek says stopping such tragedies goes beyond police.
“We need to get everyone around the table and start finding solutions to this, because the police can’t do everything,” he said on Monday. New York Times reports. “We are good at what we do, but that doesn’t give families peace of mind. That doesn’t give the friends of these kids any hope that things will get better. We need the support on that front.”
Des Moines experiences ‘wave of violence’
00:20 , Josh Marcus
Unfortunately, a Monday morning shooting at a youth center in Des Moines, Iowa, is not an isolated incident.
The city is experiencing a “surge of violence,” according to the Des Moines Registry.
At least 10 murders have been committed since December, including the shooting by police of a 16-year-old, the paper said.
‘Again, again and again’: Another week of mass shootings
00:00 , Josh Marcus
Since Saturday’s Lunar New Year celebrations in Southern California, there has been one mass shooting per day, including gun violence in Baton Rouge that left a dozen people injured, and a shooting at a youth center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday morning.
Gun safety groups said the series of shootings was a reminder of America’s gun violence problem.
“Again, Again, and Again,” the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence wrote Monday on Twitter. “Two students have been killed and a teacher injured in a school shooting in Des Moines, Iowa. We’ve barely taken a breath and processed the shootings in Monterey Park and Baton Rouge – yet another community is now suffering.”
Iowa lawmakers hold a moment of silence
Monday, January 23, 2023 11:40 PM , Josh Marcus
Lawmakers at the Iowa state House held a moment of silence Monday to honor two students who were fatally shot at a youth center in Des Moines earlier in the day.
Here’s video of the poignant moment captured by reporter Ty Rushing.
Senator praises “positive impact” Starts Right Here had on Iowa youth
Monday, January 23, 2023 11:20 PM , Josh Marcus
In the wake of a deadly shooting at the Starts Right Here education center in Iowa, Iowa officials are highlighting the work the program has done with Des Moines’ at-risk youth.
“I am saddened to hear of the shooting at Starts Right Here in Des Moines,” said U.S. Senator for Iowa Joni Ernst wrote on Twitter. “I’ve seen the positive impact Will Keeps and his staff have on young Iowans. I keep all those affected in my prayers.
Student’s father: ‘This has to stop’
Monday, January 23, 2023 11:05 PM , Oliver O’Connell
Deandre Smith said his daughter attends a youth program at Starts Right Here. She called him about the shooting.
Mr Smith said “This has got to stop”.
‘Incident was definitely targeted’
Monday 23 January 2023 22:50 , Oliver O’Connell
Sergeant Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department told reporters Monday afternoon that the traffic stop that apprehended the suspects occurred near MacRae Park. Three people were arrested.
“The incident was definitely targeted. It wasn’t random,” Parizek said. “There was nothing arbitrary about this.”
Everything we know so far
Monday 23 January 2023 22:35 , Oliver O’Connell
Two students killed and teacher injured in Des Moines shooting
Des Moines Public Schools ‘saddened’ by violence at ‘valuable partner’
Monday 23 January 2023 22:30 , Oliver O’Connell
Des Moines Public Schools released the following statement after news of the shooting broke:
We are saddened to hear of another act of gun violence, especially one that affects an organization that works closely with some of our students. We await more details, but our thoughts are with the victims and their families and friends. Starts Right Here is a valuable partner doing important work to help us re-engage students, and we stand ready to support them during this critical time.
Governor Kim Reynolds issues statement
Monday, January 23, 2023 10:12 PM , Oliver O’Connell
Governor Kim Reynolds issued a statement after the shooting:
I am shocked and saddened to hear about the shooting at Starts Right Here. I’ve seen firsthand how hard Will Keeps and his staff work to help at-risk children through this alternative education program. My heart breaks for them, these children and their families. Kevin and I are praying for a safe recovery.
Three suspects arrested
Monday, January 23, 2023 9:54 PM , Oliver O’Connell
About 20 minutes after the shooting, three suspects were arrested after a traffic check.
Two people remained in the vehicle, but a third fled on foot and was apprehended with the help of a dog unit.
Sergeant Paul Parizek of the Des Moines Police Department said the shooting is a targeted incident.
Two students have died
Monday, January 23, 2023 9:47 PM , Oliver O’Connell
Three people were shot in the incident and two students were taken to hospital with critical injuries.
They are deceased. There is no confirmation of their ages at this time.
The third victim is listed as in a serious condition and is an employee of the school.
Shooting reported at Des Moines charter school
Monday, January 23, 2023 9:45 PM , Oliver O’Connell
Des Moines police officers were sent to a nonprofit organization after two students were shot and a staff member injured in a shooting on Monday.
The shooting was reported at 12:53 a.m. local time at the Starts Right Here non-profit school that focuses on helping at-risk youth.
America’s gun crisis, by the numbers
02:05 , Josh Marcus
After recent shootings in California, Louisiana and now Iowa, there seems to be no end to the gun violence epidemic in America.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 37 mass shootings in 2023, more than one per day.
An Iowa community searches for answers
02:02 , Josh Marcus
Officials say it will take a government-wide approach to reduce the kind of gun violence that killed two and injured a third at a youth center in Des Moines on Monday.
“We need to get everyone around the table and find solutions to this because the police can’t do everything,” said Des Moines Police Sergeant Paul Parizek. New York Times. “We are good at what we do, but that doesn’t give families peace of mind. That doesn’t give the friends of these kids any hope that things will get better. We need the support on that front.”
