Three hospitalized in shooting at Des Moines main post office; suspect held
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Three people were hospitalized after a shooting at Des Moines' main post office; a suspect was detained outside.
The victims' injuries were initially believed non-life-threatening, and police say the scene is secure.
Background
The shooting happened at the main United States Postal Service office at 1165 Second Ave. in Des Moines, Iowa, just north of downtown and about a mile from the state capitol building. Police said they received multiple calls from inside the building reporting someone shooting on the second floor. Emergency responders in tactical helmets and more than a dozen law enforcement vehicles were seen on scene, according to CNN affiliate WOI video.
How it unfolded
- Nov 5, 2026 09:10Reports of shots fired on the second floor of the post office began coming in around 9:10 a.m. local time; officers responded within three minutes.
- Nov 5, 2026A multi-agency response was underway at the post office, and a suspect was detained just outside the building.
- Nov 5, 2026Three people were hospitalized; their injuries were initially believed to be non-life-threatening.
- Nov 5, 2026The public was asked to avoid the area around Second and University avenues as the investigation continued; names of the suspect and injured were not immediately released and the motive was not immediately clear.
Key terms
- United States Postal Service
- An independent agency of the US federal government responsible for providing postal service across the United States and its territories.
- R-Iowa
- The Republican Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said the scene was secure and that he saw nothing indicating anyone had life-threatening injuries.
- Official
- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said on X that the suspected shooter is in custody and the investigation is ongoing, and thanked law enforcement for its immediate response.
- Party
- Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, said he was closely monitoring reports of the shooting and offered prayers for the victims, families and everyone impacted.
Still unverified
CNN described its report as a developing story to be updated; the names of the suspect and the injured were not immediately released, and the motive for the shooting was not immediately clear.