A female postal employee shot two colleagues at the main post office in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday morning before police captured her nearby. Authorities reported that the incident occurred at the facility located in the state capital, where a third employee was also injured when they fell while attempting to escape the scene.
According to Des Moines police, none of the injuries were considered life-threatening. Sergeant Paul Parizek stated that all three victims, consisting of two women and one man, were transported to the hospital and remained in stable condition. Parizek noted that the individuals were receiving care at the time of his remarks.
The shooting took place on the second floor of the post office, in a section of the building that was not accessible to the public. Witnesses on the scene reported hearing between 10 and 12 gunshots. Police began receiving calls regarding the incident at approximately 9:10 a.m.
Officers arrived at the scene within three minutes of the initial reports. The suspect was quickly detained without offering resistance. She was found along a bike path near the post office and was taken into custody by 9:21 a.m. Law enforcement did not immediately release the name of the alleged shooter.
The post office is situated just north of downtown Des Moines, directly across the street from one of the city’s major hospitals. In the immediate aftermath, Des Moines Public Schools announced that a nearby elementary school, along with its welcome and nutrition centers, had temporarily restricted entry and exit for safety reasons. These measures were lifted once police confirmed the suspect was in custody.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service confirmed in an email that the agency is investigating the shooting. The investigation is being conducted in coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said she was in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding the event. In a social media post, she expressed gratitude for the swift response from law enforcement and offered prayers for everyone involved in the incident.
This event follows a history of workplace violence at postal facilities that has prompted various safety studies. A notable incident occurred in 1986 at a post office in Edmond, Oklahoma, where a worker shot 14 colleagues before taking his own life.
Following that event and other shootings over the subsequent decade, postal officials commissioned a study that was released in 2000. The report examined workplace violence during a period when the phrase "going postal" was gaining popularity. The study recommended methods to identify violent tendencies but concluded that the term was largely a myth, noting that postal employees were statistically less violent than the national workforce.
The Des Moines shooting adds to the ongoing scrutiny of safety protocols within the U.S. Postal Service, as local and federal agencies continue to gather evidence and assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.
