DES MOINES, IA - The Des Moines Police Department announced the investigation of a third homicide over the weekend following two other unrelated murders in the Iowa Capital's Entertainment District. The department announced the arrest of Kyonta Lavon Taylor, 25, on Monday evening.
Sgt. Paul Parizek told The Des Moines Register that police and Des Moines Fire Department personnel found a 24-year-old victim when responding to a car accident and injury Sunday morning. Per a news release obtained by the Register, the man was found suffering from a gunshot wound, having crashed into a retaining wall.
The man was rushed to an area hospital but died there from his injuries. Police theorized that the man was fatally wounded in a shootout earlier that morning. The stricken man attempted to flee the scene of the shooting and crashed according to investigators.
The outlet noted that two other homicide victims a 29-year-old and a 34-year-old male were found dead following a physical altercation around 2:00 a.m. that morning, making 11 homicides this year to date. The Register reported Monday that Taylor was booked at the Polk County Jail, and no bond has been listed for him.
According to a Monday press release, Taylor was arrested based on evidence from surveillance video. Investigators described the incident saying the evidence, "indicates that several people were in a convenience store parking lot at 1443 2nd Avenue for an after-hours gathering early Sunday morning. During this gathering, several arguments began among the people present. The victim in this case intervened in one of these arguments after it escalated to a physical fight, and struck Taylor, knocking him to the ground. Evidence indicates that Taylor responded by pulling a gun and shooting the victim."
Taylor has reportedly been charged with Voluntary Manslaughter (Class C felony) and Felon In Possession Of A Firearm (Class D felony).
The weekend also saw a fatal officer-involved shooting in which two officers were injured and a suspect was killed following a high-speed pursuit per a DMPD release. The suspect opened fire on officers and was killed by returned fire. Both officers are hospitalized and are expected to recover.
Sgt. Paul Parizek told The Des Moines Register that police and Des Moines Fire Department personnel found a 24-year-old victim when responding to a car accident and injury Sunday morning. Per a news release obtained by the Register, the man was found suffering from a gunshot wound, having crashed into a retaining wall.
The man was rushed to an area hospital but died there from his injuries. Police theorized that the man was fatally wounded in a shootout earlier that morning. The stricken man attempted to flee the scene of the shooting and crashed according to investigators.
The outlet noted that two other homicide victims a 29-year-old and a 34-year-old male were found dead following a physical altercation around 2:00 a.m. that morning, making 11 homicides this year to date. The Register reported Monday that Taylor was booked at the Polk County Jail, and no bond has been listed for him.
DMPD detectives have made an arrest in the Sunday shooting death of a 24-yr-old Des Moines man.
— Des Moines Police (@DMPolice) September 16, 2024
News release at https://t.co/sZjLAUMCC4 pic.twitter.com/PdQF6TbUU0
According to a Monday press release, Taylor was arrested based on evidence from surveillance video. Investigators described the incident saying the evidence, "indicates that several people were in a convenience store parking lot at 1443 2nd Avenue for an after-hours gathering early Sunday morning. During this gathering, several arguments began among the people present. The victim in this case intervened in one of these arguments after it escalated to a physical fight, and struck Taylor, knocking him to the ground. Evidence indicates that Taylor responded by pulling a gun and shooting the victim."
Taylor has reportedly been charged with Voluntary Manslaughter (Class C felony) and Felon In Possession Of A Firearm (Class D felony).
The weekend also saw a fatal officer-involved shooting in which two officers were injured and a suspect was killed following a high-speed pursuit per a DMPD release. The suspect opened fire on officers and was killed by returned fire. Both officers are hospitalized and are expected to recover.
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