DES MOINES – Late Saturday night, near the intersection of 37th St. and University Avenue in Des Moines, 49-year-old Kemal Dautovic was shot while delivering pizza.
The shooting took place only a few minutes away from the Papa John’s Pizza on 42nd St. where the victim works. Witnesses describe a terrifying scene Saturday night and they say they’re worried about their safety.
“[There was] just an exceptionally loud boom right outside of our window…Obviously with all the fireworks going on around here, you’re used to kind of like the pops and this was very different…so that was clearly just an abnormal bang, so it was something that right away we knew that there was a problem,” said witness who lives in the area.
Dautovic told police he was delivering pizza when two men wearing masks attacked him. He told police he used to work with someone at Papa John’s and “he has a feeling he was one of the suspects.”
There was no response from the homeowners where witnesses say the delivery car was parked.
The police report says he tried to get away, but was shot from behind. He was hit in his thigh and backside. Dautovic was taken to Methodist Hospital, he’s there now in stable condition.
Michael Madrigal lives in the area and says it’s scary this happened to a delivery driver, a job his daughter used to have.
“I was just worried, because she’s going to people’s houses, I know she’s carrying money and other people know she’s carrying money…I’m glad again that she’s not doing that anymore, but I worry about those that are out there doing it, it’s not a safe job anymore.”
People that Local 5 spoke with are wishing the victim a speedy recovery and are hoping that here in this neighborhood and across Des Moines, they see less of these violent crimes
Police say all the robbers got away with is about $20 worth of pizza. No arrests have been made.
