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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:
According to the Des Moines Police Department, the suspect opened fire on a group of employees on the second floor of the main post office, located at 1165 2nd Ave., around 9:10 a.m.
At one point, she allegedly stood over one of the victims and shot them again before she continued to fire into a crowd of fleeing employees.
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 and was transported to the hospital by a police officer.
All three victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to "pull through," Sgt. Paul Parizek said during a press conference. There were 200 employees in the building at the time, but no other injuries were reported.
Postal worker charged, gun recovered
What we know:
Police identified the suspected shooter as Jennifer Christine Pledger, a 39-year-old West Des Moines resident.
Parizek said officers found her near a bike trail east of the post office around 9:21 a.m. while searching the area. They also recovered a 9mm handgun where they detained her.
Pledger has been booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with the following offenses:
- Two counts of Attempted Murder (Class B Felony)
- Two counts of Willful Injury causing Serious Injury (Class C Felony)
- Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon (Class C Felony)
What we don't know:
Police said the suspect hasn't made any comments about a motive. It's also unclear whether she was on duty at the time of the shooting.
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 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.
Authorities investigate a shooting at a post office in Des Moines, Iowa. (Credit: FOX via KCCI) (KCCI)
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 (USPIS) and FBI are also assisting.
Postal inspector shares statement
What they're saying:
Margaret Greene, USPIS' acting assistant inspector in charge, said the agency will work with law enforcement to ensure "justice is served."
"The Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to employee safety and everyone has the right to feel safe in the workplace without fear from coworkers, customers or others," Greene said during a Friday press conference. "No one has the right to harm, intimidate or otherwise create an unsafe environment at any postal service workplace or facility."
Iowa officials react on social media
What they're saying:
Several Iowa state officials also shared statements following the shooting.
In an X post shared on Thursday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had been in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding the incident.
"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.