Update: The name of the man killed by the shooting is Ruben Lee Porter, Sr., according to the Des Moines Police Department. The DMPD continues to investigate the incident.

A 36-year-old male Des Moines resident has died from a shooting at a Forest Avenue apartment complex down the road from 34th Street, according to a press release from the Des Moines Police Department. No Bulldog Alert was sent out to the Drake community.
Drake Public Safety director Scott Law said that based on a conversation with DMPD this morning, “there was no reason to believe we had any type of threat to the campus” or Greek Street.

“If that shooting had occurred on 34th Street where the Greek houses were, we would have issued a Bulldog Alert,” Law said.

Law said that the shooting occurred at 3423 Forest Avenue and the victim was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a locked apartment.

Des Moines Police Department patrol officers and Des Moines Fire Rescue medics responded after receiving notification at approximately 7:08 a.m., DMPD said. Officers initiated CPR and medics continued lifesaving measures on an unresponsive adult male with a gunshot injury and transported him to MercyOne Des Moines. This is the sixth homicide of 2022 in Des Moines, according to the press release.

DMPD public information officer Sgt. Paul Parizek said that evidence of illegal drug use was found in the apartment. He said that everyone in the apartment had been invited there, and that a dispute occurred between the victim and suspect.

“We all know that drugs, guns and violence go hand in hand, so we’re not surprised to find evidence of illegal drug use at a homicide scene,” Parizek said.
Parizek said that the crime was spontaneous, but not random.

“Basically, if you weren’t involved in this network, it wasn’t going to happen to you,” Parizek said.

This is a developing story. Parizek said that it is “fair to say” that DMPD detectives are making good progress. The next update from DMPD is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 a.m.