Des Moines police responded to a shooting on Court Avenue shortly after midnight on Saturday, Oct. 24, after officers observed a fight near Fourth Street. According to KCCI, the two officers on patrol heard gunfire as they approached the scene and found a 20‑year‑old man with a leg wound that was not life‑threatening.
Police identified the shooter as a 17‑year‑old who fired the shot that injured the victim. A 15‑year‑old, also armed with a handgun, was taken into custody nearby, and two 23‑year‑old men, Aurtorrio Anderson and Dakota Peterson, surrendered after fleeing. Officers recovered three handguns at the scene. During the pursuit, an officer discharged his weapon at an armed suspect near Fourth and Locust streets; no one was injured by that gunfire.
Sergeant Paul Paritzek explained that the department typically assigns six to eight additional officers to cover the entertainment district and special events, but only two were on duty Saturday due to staffing constraints. “We were lucky that those two (officers) were that close to that shooting and that didn’t escalate any further,” Paritzek said.
The incident comes amid a citywide budget shortfall that has forced the police department to operate with fewer officers than recommended. An internal staffing study completed in August advised adding 80 officers across the department, including at least 32 patrol officers, to address growing demands. Paritzek noted that minors with handguns have become a recurring concern on Court Avenue, saying, “This isn’t the first time in the past few months that we’ve had to talk about minors with handguns down on Court Avenue late at night.” He added that the department has observed a rise in minors possessing weapons or committing felonies since about 2020.
Paritzek emphasized the role of families in prevention, urging parents to discuss gun safety and provide supervision. “Parents need to talk to their kids about these things,” he said. “There needs to be a little bit more supervision, definitely some more guidance.”
What’s next: The police department will continue operating within its current staffing limits while city officials review the August staffing study’s recommendation to add 80 officers, a move that could affect upcoming budget discussions.
Sources: kcci.com
