DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG/AP) – A shooting at an Iowa post office left three people injured Thursday, with a suspect facing several charges.
39-year-old Jennifer Christine Pledger of West Des Moines has been charged with:
Two counts of Attempted MurderTwo counts of Willful Injury Causing Serious InjuryIntimidation with a Dangerous Weapon
Authorities say Pledger, an employee of the post office, opened fire on the second floor of the post office.
Des Moines police said the suspect has been detained and that the victims suffered injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Police told KCRG’s Des Moines Bureau that two victims were injured from gunshot wounds and one was injured from a fall while escaping. All three victims are also employees at the office.
“They’re all at the hospital, they are being cared for right now,” Parizek said of the victims.
The main post office is just north of downtown Des Moines and across the street from MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, one of the city’s main hospitals.
The post office on Second and University Avenue had been open for an hour when the 911 call came in around 9:10 a.m. Thursday.
Sgt. Parizek confirmed that the 911 call came from inside the post office and shots were fired on the second floor in an employee-only area.
Parizek said officers responded within three minutes and the suspect was apprehended in 11 minutes.
The building is a four-story regional sorting facility with a walk-in service counter accessible to the public.
Des Moines Public Schools said that after being notified by police at 9:20 a.m. of the shooting at the post office, the district’s nearby elementary school, welcome center and nutrition center went into a secure status, meaning no one was allowed in or out of the buildings. The district said the secure status was lifted after police notified them at 10 a.m. that a suspect was in custody.
Gov. Kim Reynolds posted on X that she is in contact with the Department of Public Safety as investigations continue.
I’m in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding a shooting at the Main Post Office in Des Moines. The suspected shooter is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
We are monitoring the situation and our prayers are with everyone involved. Grateful for the immediate response by law enforcement.
— Gov. Kim Reynolds (@IAGovernor) November 5, 2026
Governor-elect Rob Sand also shared a statement on X Thursday morning, who said in part, “My thoughts are with the Iowans affected by this senseless act of violence.”
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