Two students were fatally shot in a targeted attack Monday at a charter school in Des Moines, Iowa, according to police.
Police spokesman Paul Parizek told reporters Tuesday that the two students were found shot and in critical condition. Officers performed CPR on them upon arrival, and they were taken to a hospital. The students later died.
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The shooting, which was reported around 12:50 p.m., happened at Starts Right Here charter school, which consists of high school students. The website for the school says it works to support at-risk youth in the Des Moines public school system.
Charter school founder Will Keeps was also shot and remains in serious condition with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Investigators have revealed the identities of the two students who were killed: Gionni Dameron, 18, and Rashad Carr, 16. The victims were targeted, Parizek said.
NEW: Des Moines Police say 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr were killed in the shooting yesterday at “Starts Right Here” nonprofit in Des Moines.
18-year-old Preston Walls is charged with murder.
Here’s what we know today: https://t.co/IQ6PKeYc7O pic.twitter.com/lqu1heVr3h
— James Stratton KCCI (@JStrattonKCCI) January 24, 2023
Preston Walls, 18, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of gang criminal participation, per court documents via KCCI.
Police say Walls is a known member of a criminal street gang, and the two deceased students were in an opposing street gang.
Walls entered the school, prompting Keeps to approach Walls to escort him out, police said of the shooting captured on security video surveillance. Walls produced a handgun and shot Dameron and Carr, chasing down one of them and shooting him repeatedly.
Based on a witness description, police later stopped a vehicle near MacRae Park, two miles south of the shooting scene, at around 1:20 p.m.
One person fled and was tracked by a K-9 officer, and two other people remained in the car. Walls was located by police in a brush pile on the south side of Des Moines.
Walls, who was on active probation for failure to affix a drug tax stamp and possession of a controlled substance, had cut his ankle monitor off about 16 minutes before the shooting.
Police also confirmed he was to be on pretrial release with supervision for interference with official acts, KCCI reported.
Iowa politicians have been quick to express their thoughts and prayers after hearing of the shooting.
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), who is also the school’s advisory board president, gave a statement to reporters while at the Iowa Capitol building.
“I am shocked and saddened to hear about the shooting at Starts Right Here,” Reynolds said. “I’ve seen firsthand how hard Will Keeps and his staff works to help at-risk kids through this alternative education program.”
“My heart breaks for them, these kids and their families. Kevin and I are praying for their safe recovery,” the governor continued. Reynolds is preparing for a vote on her “school choice” bill, which is set to begin Monday.
“I am shocked and saddened to hear about the shooting at Starts Right Here. I’ve seen first hand how hard Will Keeps and his staff works to help at risk kids through this alternative education program,” @IAGovernor @KimReynoldsIA said. 1/2 https://t.co/d3ILn9Kpca
— O. Kay Henderson (@okayhenderson) January 23, 2023
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) also released a statement via Twitter, expressing his thanks to law enforcement.
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“Im monitoring reports of a shooting in Des Moines at Starts Right Here charter school,” Grassley wrote. “Thx to first responders & law enforcement for promptly responding Praying for all those affected.”
The shooting remains under investigation.
