DES MOINES, Iowa —
A shooting at a Des Moines post office on 2nd Avenue disrupted a morning huddle, leaving employees emotionally distressed as they fled and hid from the gunfire.
Mike Bates, president of the American Postal Workers Union for the local 44 office, said the shooting occurred during a daily morning huddle, where 20 to 30 employees were gathered. Bates quickly arrived at the scene after hearing about the incident and spoke with union members who were inside the building.
One employee, who Bates says has been a family friend for 30-plus years, described hearing gunshots from the service dock.
“He said that he was standing there in the service dock looking at his supervisor and he heard the first shot and everybody in the service dock just kind of looked around,” Bates said. “Then they heard the second one. That’s when the supervisor was telling people to hide behind machines and to take cover.”
Bates said employees on the second floor fled, with some hiding as the gunshots grew closer.
For one woman Bates spoke with, the experience was especially harrowing.
“There was a gal that hid under the table that had the active shooter walk by her, seeing the gun, and that woman was very distressed. Her daughter couldn’t get a hold of her because she left her cellphone on the table where she was hiding, and then once she got ready to run, she ran,” Bates said.
Authorities confirmed that, aside from the three victims, no other injured individuals were found. Bates noted that no one else was physically injured, but the emotional toll on employees was significant.
Employees were transported by bus to a different location where counselors were available to provide support. Bates emphasized the importance of giving employees time to recover after such a terrifying situation.
“It could have been a lot worse, but the whole situation of that and living through that is what’s going to cause the most damage,” Bates said.
Postal worker shares emotional moment with KCCI reporter following post office shooting