DES MOINES, Iowa — Two people are hospitalized and two more are in custody following an overnight shooting at a party in Des Moines.
Des Moines police say they heard gunshots at 2134 E. Grand Avenue, a private venue where a party was happening, around 12:40 a.m. on Sunday.
When they arrived to the scene, police claim they were met with "an unruly and hostile crowd", but were ultimately able to locate two injured people.
First responders transferred an adult man and juvenile boy to area hospitals. The man is facing life-threatening injuries, while police believe the boy's injuries are nonlife-threatening.
Officers arrested two people at the scene, but their charges do not seem to be related to the shooting.
20-year-old Mazine Botrus John faces one count of Interference With Official Acts, and 21-year-old Abuk Amum Malual is charged with Interference With Official Acts and Assault On A Police Officer.
As of Jan. 28, no suspects are in custody for the shooting itself.
Residents in the area saw this unfold first hand, however they say incidents like this are a common occurrence at this location.
"Last night, we heard two shots inside, and so we were watching on our camera. And a bunch of people ran out, and then there was a few more shots outside as well," said Des Moines resident Holly Thompson said. "The cops came, and the crowd was pretty rowdy, they didn't want to listen to the police that time."
Residents in the area say they have seen many fights and even have heard shootings before.
"It's not the first time it's happened, it happens more often than we like," Thompson told Local 5. "So, usually we know if [an event] starts after 11 p.m., we know something is going to happen."
Experiencing so many incidents has led to residents increasing security measures in their houses.
"We ended up having to move all our kids' stuff to the center of the house, so if there are any shootings, it's not by any windows or any," Thompson said. "We have, like, protocols for when things happen."
Councilmember Joe Gatto, who oversees this part of the city as Ward 4 representative, told Local 5 he is working to look into changes to that zoning, and adds that the city has received multiple concerns surrounding this private event space.
"There is a lot of good people in the neighborhood, it's just when they use it [the private event center], it can have some fun events like weddings and stuff, but when they use it like those after-hours like those night club hours is when it like literally always happens," Thompson said. "We usually know it's going to happen before it happens because it's those after hours."
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