Shooting at Des Moines Charter School Leaves Two Students Dead

National news reports that two students were shot and killed at a Des Moines, Iowa, charter school on Monday afternoon. The school, Starts Right Here, specializes in education for disadvantaged students and has a close relationship with local police, according to NBC News. Police received a call at 12:50 p.m. CT and arrived at the school to find the two students and an adult employee wounded, said Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek. The employee is in stable condition.

“There was nothing random about this; it was certainly a targeted incident,” said Parizek. “As far as a motive, that’s something we are going to try to figure out.”

Parizek said that witnesses described a car feeling the scene, which officers pulled over 2 miles south of the school. Two people in the car surrendered to police, while the third escaped. A K-9 police unit assisted officers in capturing the third person, said Parizek.

Parizek said that “all three of the potential suspects are in custody” and are being questioned, NBC News reports.

“These are supposed to be our safe spaces, and this school in particular, it’s one that the police department works very closely with,” said Parizek. “The school is designed to pick up the slack and help kids who need the help the most, the ones who aren’t getting the services they need for a variety of different reasons. To have it happen here, it’s going to be a horrible impact on the community.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now