Candidates Attend Iowa Football Event
Several 2024 presidential candidates marked the 9/11 anniversary by joining in on Iowa’s football festivities, as reported by FOX News correspondent Mark Meredith during ‘Special Report.’
Iowa Teen Found Guilty in School Shooting
In a recent verdict, 19-year-old Preston Walls from Iowa was found guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter for a tragic incident earlier this year at a Des Moines alternative school. Initially charged with first-degree murder, Walls was convicted of the lesser charges, suggesting the jury accepted his claim that he shot in self-defense.
Walls faced charges in the deaths of Gionni Dameron, 18, and Rashad Carr, 16, at the Starts Right Here program on January 23.
Claim of Self-Defense
Walls was also found guilty of willful injury causing serious harm for injuring Will Keeps, a former Chicago gang member who established the Des Moines program for at-risk teenagers. However, he was acquitted of attempted murder in Keeps’ case.
Had Walls been convicted of first-degree murder, he would have received a mandatory life sentence. His second-degree murder conviction and voluntary manslaughter charge make him eligible for parole. Walls’ sentencing is scheduled for November.
Fatal Shooting in Franklin County
In another incident, a Franklin County, Iowa sheriff’s deputy fatally shot 30-year-old Matt Davis of Hampton. Davis had brandished a firearm during the encounter, but it was later determined to be a pellet gun.
Defense Argument
Throughout the trial, Walls’ defense attorneys acknowledged his role in the students’ deaths and Keeps’ shooting. However, they argued that Walls believed his life was in danger. Walls had been set to graduate from the program just two days after the incident and feared retaliation from Dameron and Carr once he left school, as he believed they might attack him.
The defense also pointed out that Dameron was armed with a gun at the school on the day of the shooting.
“I was scared to walk out of that school at 1 o’clock. They waited outside the school for me before,” Walls told jurors.
Arrest and Upcoming Trial
Walls was arrested less than an hour after the shooting. Another individual, Bravon Tukes, is scheduled to stand trial on murder charges on October 2. He is accused of aiding Walls by picking him up after the shooting and driving away.
Program Continues Despite Tragedy
Starts Right Here, the program where the tragic incident occurred, reopened within several weeks of the shooting, and Will Keeps returned despite his injuries. The program, affiliated with Des Moines public schools, is still operational this fall with approximately 30 students.
Lawsuit Against Program and Keeps
Families of Carr and Dameron have filed a lawsuit against the program and Keeps, alleging that they failed to ensure the program’s safety.
This news underscores the complexities of a tragic incident involving young lives and a community seeking justice.