2 students killed and 1 adult in serious condition after shooting in Des Moines

Two students were killed and another person is in critical condition in a shooting at a school in Des Moines on Monday.

According to the Des Moines Registry, the incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. at Starts Right Here, an educational mentorship program affiliated with the city’s school district that focuses on helping at-risk youth in grades 9-12. When officers arrived on the scene, two students were resuscitated, who were seriously injured. They were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

An adult who worked at the school was also found in serious condition. They were operated on.

At around 1:20 p.m., authorities found a vehicle that matched witnesses’ descriptions about two miles from the shooting scene. When the car was stopped, two passengers remained inside while a third person attempted to flee on foot. That person was eventually tracked down using a K-9. All three have been taken into custody.

Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek believes the shooting was planned and said: “The incident was definitely targeted. It wasn’t random. There was nothing random about this.”

“We are saddened to learn of another act of gun violence, especially one that affects an organization that works closely with some of our students,” Des Moines interim superintendent Matt Smith said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. We are still awaiting more details, but our thoughts are with all the victims of this incident and their families and friends.”