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A suspect is in custody following a reported active shooter incident that left multiple people injured at the main United States Postal Service facility in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday.
Police declared the situation secure shortly after arriving. The Des Moines Police Department announced that a multi-agency operation is actively responding to the scene at 1165 Second Ave. Authorities have shut down northbound traffic along Second Avenue, redirecting drivers back south toward the downtown area.
The initial officer arrived within three and a half minutes of the dispatch call, according to Sgt. Paul Parizek, speaking to reporters near the facility. Responding crews are carrying out standard protocol with partnering agencies, sweeping the building to ensure no additional people are hiding.
While official casualty counts have not been finalized, Parizek noted that at least one injured victim managed to seek medical treatment independently. None of the injuries observed at the scene appeared to be life-threatening, he told reporters.
The postal facility sits directly across the street from the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center.

An extensive emergency presence responded to the scene, including units from the Des Moines Police Department, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol, said a reporter on the ground, who also observed several fire engines and ambulances, The Des Moines Register reported.
Gov. Kim Reynolds wrote on X that she was in contact with the Department of Public Safety regarding the shooting.
“The suspected shooter is in custody and the investigation is ongoing,” Reynolds wrote. “We are monitoring the situation and our prayers are with everyone involved. Grateful for the immediate response by law enforcement.”
Authorities have shut down Second Avenue in both directions. Officers guided stuck traffic in the northbound lanes to head back south toward downtown, and police recommend using Sixth Avenue or East 14th Street as alternate routes.
The public is asked to continue avoiding the area near Second and University avenues as the investigation proceeds.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
