Des Moines Post Office Shooting Leaves Three Injured
A postal worker shot two colleagues and a third was hurt escaping at the main facility in Iowa.
By Jonathan Reed ·
A United States Postal Service employee in Des Moines, Iowa, faces charges after opening fire on three co-workers at the main post office on Thursday morning. The incident disrupted operations at the facility located at 1165 2nd Ave.
Police reported the shooting began around 9:10 a.m. on the second floor of the building. Des Moines Police Department Sgt. Paul Parizek stated that three victims, two women and one man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Parizek indicated that medical staff expect all three to recover fully. Two of the injured individuals drove themselves to a nearby hospital, while a police officer transported the third victim for treatment.
Officers located the suspect shortly after the initial call, finding her near a bike trail east of the post office while searching the area. The Des Moines Police Department’s Crimes against Persons unit is leading the investigation, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. Investigators have not yet released the suspect’s name. It remains unclear if she was on active duty during the shooting or what motivated the attack.
Parizek told local news outlets that law enforcement arrived at the scene within three minutes of the first report. He described the response as fast and courageous, noting that officers began working the building immediately upon arrival. Approximately a dozen law enforcement agencies assisted in the immediate aftermath. This group included special agents from the Kansas City office of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosions unit.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds confirmed she is in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding the event. In a post on X, Reynolds said she is monitoring the situation and expressed gratitude for the immediate law enforcement response. She added that her thoughts are with everyone involved in the incident.
