DES MOINES, Iowa — Long before two teens were shot and killed inside Starts Right Here in Des Moines, police say tensions between two local gangs were escalating.
Detectives believe both suspects in the January shooting and the two teenage victims belonged to these two feuding gangs.
Officers say suspects Bravon Tukes and Preston Walls both belonged to the Strap Gang, while victims Gionni Dameron and Rashad Carr both belonged to OMB (Only My Brothers).
"This is a rivalry that's been going on since November 2021," said Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek. "And the history of these gangs that reaches all the way back 20 years. The term in our industry for this type of gang activity is 'hybrid gang activity', where they might take some tips from some nationally known gangs, they might try and replicate what they see. But these are our community's kids."
In a search warrant application, detectives detail a Dec. 26, 2022 incident where a 16-year-old was shot and killed by police. According to the court documents, this 16-year-old was Tukes's half-brother.
Three weeks after the teenager is killed, detectives say a music video was released by OMB gang members. In it, police believe Carr is rapping while Dameron makes numerous appearances.
Officers describe this video as extremely disrespectful to the Strap Gang, as it calls out members who have been attacked or killed. At one point Carr raps "that one boy died on Christmas". This line is what police believe is a direct reference to the death of Tukes's half-brother.
"All of those things led up to that and then this video that they made mocking these homicides, you know, throwing In insults at their dead gang members," said Parizek. "That seems to be what pushed it over the edge for some of these folks. And this was their response to that."
One week after this video was posted, officers say Walls walked into Starts Right here, shooting and killing both Carr and Dameron and wounding founder Will Keeps.