Des Moines police have identified the victims of the fatal shooting at a youth center. Police say 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr were killed. Both students are from Des Moines. Eighteen-year-old Preston Walls of West Des Moines is charged with the crimes. Walls is charged with two counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of participation in criminal gangs. The other two people detained by police were released without charge on Tuesday morning. According to the police, Walls is a known member of a criminal street gang. Investigators say he entered a Starts Right Here common room on Monday, located at 455 Southwest Fifth St. Starts Right Here is a nonprofit organization focused on helping educate young people living in underserved and oppressive conditions. It was then that Will Keeps, founder of Starts Right Here, approached Walls and tried to escort him out. But Walls was able to back off and showed a gun. Subsequently, Walls shot Dameron and Carr multiple times. He chased one of the victims and shot him repeatedly, according to court documents. Both victims were also known to be part of a hostile criminal street gang, according to court documents. Walls left the scene and was located by police a short time later in a thicket on the south side of town. Keeps, who was shot multiple times, remains in serious condition with life-threatening injuries, according to police. Police say Walls was on active probation for failing to affix a drug tax stamp and possession of a controlled substance. It was confirmed that he had been released under supervision for interfering with official proceedings – armed with a firearm and public intoxication. Police say Walls cut off an ankle bracelet about 16 minutes before the shooting, which he was told to wear. According to police, the motive for the murders was the result of an ongoing gang-related dispute. Police say the shooting was captured on security video. The shooting is still under investigation. Previous coverage:
Des Moines police have identified the victims of the fatal shooting at a youth center.
Police say 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr were killed. Both students are from Des Moines.
West Des Moines, 18-year-old Preston Walls is being charged in connection with the crimes. Walls is charged with two counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of participation in criminal gangs. The other two people detained by police were released without charge on Tuesday morning.
According to the police, Walls is a known member of a criminal street gang. Investigators say he entered a Starts Right Here common room located at 455 Southwest Fifth St. on Monday. Starts Right Here is a nonprofit organization focused on helping educate young people living in underprivileged and oppressive conditions.
It was then that Will Keeps, founder of Starts Right Here, approached Walls and tried to escort him out. But Walls was able to back off and showed a gun.
Subsequently, Walls shot Dameron and Carr multiple times. According to court documents, he pursued one of the victims and shot him repeatedly.
Both victims were also said to be part of a hostile criminal street gang, according to court documents.
Walls left the scene and was located by police a short time later in a thicket on the south side of town.
Keeps, who was shot multiple times, is in serious condition with life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Police say Walls was on active probation for failing to affix a drug tax stamp and possession of a controlled substance. It was confirmed that he was under supervised remand for interfering with official conduct – armed with a firearm and public intoxication.
Police say Walls cut off an ankle bracelet he was told to wear about 16 minutes before the shooting.
According to police, the motive for the killings was the result of an ongoing gang-related dispute.
Police say the shooting was captured on security video.
The shooting is still under investigation.
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