DES MOINES, Iowa — The trial is set to continue Tuesday for a 19-year-old who fatally shot two fellow students at an alternative educational program.
Preston Walls is one of two charged in the January 2023 Starts Right Here shooting that killed 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr. Will Keeps, the founder of Starts Right Here, was also shot and severely injured.
Though police and court documents cite gang affiliation in the shooting, the victims' families have denied the victims were involved in any gangs.
What's happened so far in the Starts Right Here shooting trial?
During the first two days of the trial, the court heard various witness testimonies, including from law enforcement officers who shared what they saw when the arrived on scene.
Prosecutors also showed bodycam video from those officers, including sometimes graphic videos of the shooting. Officers described the scene as chaotic.
The jury also heard from Starts Right Here employees and students, who spoke on what they saw and their personal experiences with those involved.
Over the first two days of the trial, Will Keeps was one of the most anticipated witnesses.
Keeps spoke on Preston Walls' character during his time at the school.
"Preston loves Starts Right Here," Keeps said.
Employees and students recalled how Walls was acting the day of the incident.
Some said Walls looked sad, while others said he is just a "chill" guy, and it was a normal day for him.
When the defense questions Keeps about the shooting, they asked if he was surprised that day.
"It pissed me off," Keeps said, though he later added that it did surprise him.
In Keeps' testimony, he identified Walls as the person who shot him, Dameron and Carr.
The prosecution also presented 911 calls from that day, where people on the calls identified Walls as the shooter.
Why did the trial recess?
Walls' defense said he feared for his life that day, with attorney Glen Downey saying: "Preston decided he didn't want to go home to his family in a pine box."
Defense attorneys alluded to a music video created by the victims that they believe was threatening Walls, ultimately leading to the shooting.
However, when the defense brought up the music video in a cross examination of Keeps, the prosecution objected to the discussion.
The defense attorneys asked, "The music that he produces, [it] talks a lot about past violence in his community and threats of future violence?"
Keeps confirmed that the music deals with violence, however, the prosecution asked for Keeps' response to be struck from the record.
That request resulted in the judge calling a recess over the Labor Day weekend.