DES MOINES, Iowa — The trial for a teen accused in a deadly shooting at the Starts Right Here education center begins Monday.
Preston Walls, 18, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, willful injury, and criminal gang participation.
Walls is accused of killing 18-year-old Gionni Dameron and 16-year-old Rashad Carr in a shooting at Starts Right here on January 23rd. The founder and CEO of the program, Will Keeps, was also shot and seriously wounded.
Police say Walls went into the facility with a handgun concealed under his clothes. The criminal complaint states that Keeps tried to escort Walls out of the building but he took out the gun and opened fire on Carr. He then shot Dameron several times. Carr tried running, but police say Walls ran him down and fired several more shots.
Police say Walls took off in a car driven by 19-year-old Bravon Tukes. Officers pulled over Tukes shortly after the shooting. Walls ran from the car but was taken into custody a short time later. They say he had a gun on him, similar to one seen in a security video from the shooting.
Police say Walls targeted the victims due to a gang dispute.
Walls’ trial begins at 9:00 a.m. Monday at the Polk County Courthouse.
Holmes is on the list of witnesses to testify. Bravon Tukes does not appear on that list at this point. Attorneys asked that their trials be separated so Tukes could testify against Walls.
Tukes claims he did not know Walls was planning on shooting. He is also charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, and criminal gang participation. Tukes’ trial is set for October.
