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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 after falling while trying to escape.
Shooting at Iowa post office
What we know:
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.
Two of the victims took themselves to a nearby hospital after the shooting, while a police officer transported the other, Sgt. Paul Parizek said during a press conference.
The three victims, two women and a man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to "pull through," Parizek said.
What we don't know:
Investigators have not yet released the suspect's name. It's also unclear whether she was on duty at the time of the shooting. A motive is unknown.
What you can do:
Police are urging the public to avoid the area of 2nd Avenue and University Avenue as they continue to investigate. The nearest alternate routes are East 14th Street and 6th Avenue.
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.
"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.
Following the shooting, he said about a dozen law enforcement agencies provided assistance, including special agents with Kansas City's Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unit.
The Des Moines Police Department's Crimes against Persons unit is leading the investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service will help.
Gov. Reynolds releases a statement
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."
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from the Des Moines Police Department, KCCI and the Des Moines Register. This story was reported in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.