2022 East High School shooting

On March 7, 2022, after 2:40 pm, a shooting occurred within the vicinity of East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S, right before school was dismissed for the day. At least 35 gunshots were fired out of at least three vehicles.

2022 East High School shooting
Part of school shootings in the United States
LocationEast High School, Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
DateMarch 7, 2022
Attack type
School shooting, gang violence (alleged), mass shooting, drive-by shooting
Deaths1
Injured2
Assailants10 teenage males
ChargesFirst-degree murder, attempted murder (2 counts)

One 15-year-old boy was killed, and two female students were critically wounded. By the next few hours, six teenage males were arrested, ranging from ages 14 to 17, and charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder: four charged in adult court, and two in juvenile court.[1][2] Four more teens were eventually charged in connection to the shooting.[3]

The shooting was described by police as having gang overtones, having stemmed from an ongoing violent conflict between two rival Iowa Hispanic gangs.

Shooting

Around 2:40 p.m., neighborhood camera footage captured the shooting. Footage showed a group of five teenagers gathering near a curb when three vehicles passed by. The vehicles suddenly returned, with the occupants inside firing multiple shots at the group. Multiple 911 calls were then made at approximately 2:50 p.m.[4]

Investigators recovered about 20 spent shell casings at the shooting site and found another 15 in the vehicles that the Des Moines Police Department said were used in the shooting.[5]

Investigation

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of Kansas City arrived on the scene and provided assistance in the investigation. Other agencies assisting with the investigation included: the Iowa State Patrol (ISP), the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and the Des Moines Public Schools Department of Public Safety.[6] Multiple search warrants were executed, and six guns were recovered.[7] By March 30, several teenagers were arrested in connection with the shooting.[8]

Court Proceedings

In September one of the teens, Manuel Buezo plead guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea bargain.[9] In October, Gumaro Marquez-Jacobo plead guilty to being an accessory to the fact, providing a pistol to a person under 21 and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon and Henry David Valladares Amaya plead guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing a serious injury.[10][11] In November, Kevin Martinez, one of the car drivers, after pleading guilty to two charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon was sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison.[12] In December, Daniel Hernandez plead guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of willful injury causing serious injury.[13] In February 2023, Romeo Perdomo was sentenced to life with parole after pleading guilty to first degree murder.[14] Also in February, Braulio Hernandez Salas plead guilty to two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.[15] In March, Alex Perdomo plead guilty to first degree murder.[16] In July, Nyang Mai Chamdual plead guilty to first degree murder.[17]

Victims

The victim killed was Jose David Lopez, a 15-year-old non-student of the school. He was a student of another Des Moines high school who was visiting the campus. Police say he was the intended target of the shooting, with the two female victims not intended targets, aged 16 and 18. The two female victims were both shot in the head and critically injured, and were students at the school.[18] In a late March 2022 article by 12NewsNow, the 18-year-old victim (Kemery Ortega) hit in the head with a bullet was making a recovery, and was planning on leaving the hospital soon. She however still may have fragments or much of the bullet still lodged in her skull. The other girl wounded was also still critically injured as of late March but was on the mend.[19]

Aftermath

U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement regarding the shooting and the greater violence issue in American society.[20]

References
  1. Sahouri, Andrea May (March 8, 2022). "Victim identified, 6 teens charged with murder in fatal shooting outside East High School". Tennessean.com/Des Moines Register.
  2. "Teenager dead, two in critical condition after shooting outside Iowa high school -police". Reuters. 2022-03-07. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  3. "One year after fatal shooting, East High community comes together to celebrate strength". The Des Moines Register.
  4. Beck, Margery A.; Mcfetridge, Scott (March 8, 2022). "6 teens arrested in Iowa school shooting that killed 1". CTV News via Associated Press.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Morris, William (March 10, 2022). "Four teenaged suspects in Monday's fatal East High Shooting ordered, held on $1.05 million bond". Des Moines Register.
  6. Amir Vera, Joe Sutton and Jenn Selva (7 March 2022). "Des Moines, Iowa school shooting". CNN.
  7. Vigdor, Neil; Chung, Christine (7 March 2022). "East High School shooting, Des Moines". New York Times.
  8. "Four more teenagers charged with murder in shooting near East High". The Des Moines Register.
  9. "Teenager accused in deadly shooting outside East High enters guilty plea". 3 October 2022.
  10. "3rd teen takes plea deal in killing outside East High School". October 4, 2022.
  11. "Teen pleads guilty to second-degree murder, willful injury in fatal East High shooting". The Des Moines Register.
  12. "Kevin Martinez sentenced for role in East High shooting". 22 November 2022.
  13. "18-year-old pleads guilty in East High shooting death". KCCI. December 10, 2022.
  14. "First life sentence handed down in fatal East High shooting, but earlier release possible". The Des Moines Register.
  15. "Another suspect in shooting outside East High School sentenced to prison". February 23, 2023.
  16. "One of youngest teens in East High shootings case pleads guilty to first-degree murder". The Des Moines Register.
  17. "16-year-old pleads guilty for first-degree murder in East High shooting, Polk County Sheriff's Office says". weareiowa.com. July 21, 2023.
  18. Hutchinson, Bill (March 8, 2022). "Multiple shot at Des Moines, Iowa high school". ABC News.
  19. "Kemery Ortega, East High School shooting victim returns home, recovering". KBMT-LD.
  20. "Statement by Joe Biden about shooting at East High School". WhiteHouse.gov. 9 March 2022.

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