DES MOINES, Iowa — As Starts Right Here shooting suspect Preston Walls' trial continues, testimonies illuminated the hours after the shooting on Day 3.
Walls is one of two charged for the January shooting at an alternative education program that killed 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr. Starts Right Here founder Will Keeps was also injured in the shooting.
The day began with cross examination of Keeps, though the majority of Tuesday's court action was focused on speaking with law enforcement who responded and surveyed the crime scene.
The court learned how Walls was located after the shooting.
Prosecutions brought forward the officer who followed a car driven by Bravon Tukes leading to Walls fleeing into a wooded area that day, eventually leading to their arrests.
"We pulled into the townhomes. My car slipped a couple inches because it was snowy that day. I see the passenger side, no, the driver's side back passenger door open, and a Black male takes off running," said Des Moines police officer Brookelyn Danti.
Originally, Tukes was set to stand trial alongside Walls for first-degree murder, attempted murder and criminal gang participation, but a judge ruled in April that Tukes would be tried separately. Walls plans on testifying in Tukes' defense during his October trial.
Also on the stand was K-9 handler Daobandon Meunsaveng, who helped locate Walls after he fled from the vehicle.
"There's this big tree. I'm like 'Okay.' And there's footprints kind of leading right in that direction and I'm scanning, I'm watching my dog, but I'm also scanning ahead for ambush or where the suspect would possibly be hiding at," Meunsaveng said. "And as I got there closer, I thought I saw a shoe, but I wasn't 100% sure because I got snow reflection in my eye and the tree line is kind of dark a little bit."
A remark toward the end of his testimony prompted the defense to request a mistrial.
The judge needed time to brief this request before allowing testimonies to continue. The majority of the afternoon was spent surveying a detailed description and photo evidence of the crime scene.
Prosecutors showed each piece of evidence from the crime scene, including bullets and shell casings.
The trial will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.