Des Moines post office shooting: Employee arrested, 3 injured
Iowa post office shooting: Employee arrested, 3 people injured
A Des Moines post office employee has been arrested after a shooting left three people injured Thursday morning.
DES MOINES, Iowa (FOX 9) - A United States Postal Service employee is accused of shooting two of her co-workers at a Des Moines post office Thursday morning, police said. A third co-worker was injured in a fall while trying to escape.
Shooting at Iowa post office
The backstory:
The shooting happened around 9:10 a.m. on the second floor of the main post office, located at 1165 2nd Ave., according to the Des Moines Police Department.
Police said one person who called 911 reported hearing up to a dozen gunshots.
Two women, ages 45 and 53, were struck by gunfire and took themselves to a nearby hospital. A 55-year-old man was injured while falling as he tried to escape. A police officer transported him to the hospital.
All three victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to "pull through," Sgt. Paul Parizek said during a press conference.
Authorities investigate a shooting at a post office in Des Moines, Iowa. (Credit: FOX via KCCI) (KCCI)
Postal worker arrested, gun recovered
What we know:
Parizek said officers found the suspect, identified as a 39-year-old female postal worker, near a bike trail east of the post office around 9:21 a.m. while searching the area.
Police also recovered a 9mm handgun where they detained the suspect.
What we don't know:
Investigators haven't released the suspect's name, specific job title or charges she's facing. It's also unclear whether she was on duty at the time of the shooting. Police said she hasn't made any comments about a motive.
Officers responded within minutes
Dig deeper:
During an earlier press briefing, Parizek told KCCI and other local news outlets that officers responded to the shooting within about three minutes and apprehended the suspect within 11 minutes.
"I can tell you that the response I saw from the cops was exactly what we'd expect: fast, courageous, moving in there and starting to work that building the way we've trained them to do," Parizek said.
He said about a dozen law enforcement agencies responded to the shooting, including the Iowa State Patrol and special agents with Kansas City's Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives team.
The Des Moines Police Department's Crimes against Persons unit is leading the investigation. The United States Postal Inspection Service and FBI are also assisting.
Iowa officials react on social media
What they're saying:
In a statement shared on X, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she has been in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding the shooting.
"We are monitoring the situation and our prayers are with everyone involved," she said. "Grateful for the immediate response by law enforcement."
Gov.-elect Rob Sand said in a Facebook post that his thoughts are with those "affected by this senseless act of violence."
"I will continue to monitor the situation & am thankful for the dedicated first responders who were able to respond quickly & ultimately save lives," he added.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Sen.-elect Josh Turek also shared statements on X, thanking first responders and offering prayers for the victims.
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from the Des Moines Police Department, KCCI and social media accounts for ATF Kansas City and Iowa state officials. This story was reported in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.